CAPE TOWN - The bodies of the 14 soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo will be repatriated on Wednesday.
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga and Major General of the SANDF, Godfrey Thulare, faced a grilling on the DRC deployment from the Defence Portfolio Committee in Parliament.
After initial bickering about time allocation, the sitting exploded into a series of hard-hitting questions from members.
In response, the minister stuck to her guns, proclaiming South Africa's defence force is just one of 16 forces involved in the mission, while trying to justify the resources utilised.
Major General Thulare clarified when the bodies of the killed soldiers will be repatriated.
Questions around the soldiers’ capabilities were a common thread.
Committee members expressed their dissatisfaction with many of the answers, suggesting a further inquiry may be required.
For now, soldiers remain deployed with a ceasefire still in place.