First batch of SANDF troops from DRC land in Pretoria
PRETORIA - Two hundred and forty nine SANDF soldiers landed at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria on Friday night. These troops are the first batch of South African soldiers returning from the DRC.
Initially the group was supposed to land at the Air Force Base Bloemspruit in Bloemfontein where Defence Minister, Angie Motshekga, and others were awaiting their arrival but this was changed.
The troops were deployed as part of a Southern African Development Community force called SAMIDRC.
Fourteen SA soldiers were killed in January as M23 rebels pushed towards the East of DRC and later the mission was aborted.
Since the end of April troops have been withdrawing from the DRC using trucks to travel overland. The withdrawal had a number of challenges including logistical delays due to the heavy equipment that had to be moved from their base near Goma.
The SANDF said just over 30 trucks had to transport SA Military equipment from Goma to Tanzania. Other heavy equipment were transported through the Dar es Salaam port to South Africa.
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Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'I was the first independent mayor. I was clearly rejected by the political party system. They said I was too young to be a mayor of a city for that matter, but the people gave me the vote through direct vote – one man, one vote,' Mwanza said on the sidelines of the two-day U20 African Mayors' Assembly at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research in Tshwane this week. According to Mwanza, he was told he was too young and could not be mayor, and other small parties approached him, but he had the resolve to work for the people independently. He explained that in Zambia, the voting system allows registered citizens to vote for their preferred leader or mayor, enabling any young person with a dream to run for elections and gain citizen support. Mwanza is proud to continue representing not only the citizens of Chipata but also the young African people hopeful for youth leadership and to be given an opportunity to lead in their various countries. 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