Remains of 14 SA soldiers killed in DRC expected to be handed over to their families on Thursday

JOHANNESBURG - Two weeks after their death in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the remains of 14 South African troops are set to be handed over to their loved ones on Thursday.

The soldiers died when they were caught in the crossfire during conflict between DRC army forces and M23 rebels.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed to the region as part of a multinational Southern African Development Community (SADC) force sent in to help stabilise the region amid the ongoing clashes.

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A memorial service will be held for the fallen soldiers at the Swartkop Air Force Base in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Anxious families have been awaiting the arrival of their loved ones on South African soil since the peacekeeping mission turned sour for the SANDF.

The repatriation process, which is being carried out by the United Nations, was set to see the bodies of the SANDF members initially arrive home last Wednesday.

But security risks and rising tensions in the DRC and its neighbouring states delayed what should have been a one-day transfer.

Instead, the remains were sent to Entebbe in Uganda first, where standard pathology procedures are believed to have been done.

The grieving families of the soldiers previously said they were in the dark about what how exactly they died and were also given few details about the repatriation process.

Meanwhile, some political parties have called for South Africa to withdraw its troops from the region, citing increasing instability and concerns they were ill-equipped for war.