On March 1, 2024, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) announced the loss of two of its members serving in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The incident occurred on February 29, when one soldier tragically turned his service weapon on a fellow soldier before taking his own life. A joint investigation with MONUSCO’s command is currently underway to determine the precise circumstances surrounding this sorrowful event.
South Africa’s Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, has expressed profound sadness over this occurrence. The remains of the deceased soldiers are scheduled to be repatriated to South Africa shortly, and their families have been duly notified about this heartrending loss.
This tragic incident follows a separate statement from the SANDF dated February 15, 2024, which confirmed the death of two soldiers and the injury of three others in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This earlier incident was a result of a mortar bomb explosion launched by M23 insurgents at a South African military base. The soldiers who lost their lives, Captain Simon Mkhulu Bobe and Corporal Lance Irven Thabang Semono, were formally handed over to their families on February 21, 2024, at Waterkloof Air Force Base.
Memorial services for Captain Bobe and Corporal Lance Semono were held on March 2, 2024, in Kimberley City Hall and Thaba Tshwane City Hall in Pretoria, respectively.
