The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will hand over the bodies of 14 soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to their families tonight.

According to an article published by The Witness, the ceremony, which will start at 19:00 at the Air Force Base Swartkop in Centurion, Pretoria, will be led by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The soldiers were part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in eastern DRC when they were killed in an attack by M23 rebels during the battle for Goma.

Their bodies arrived in South Africa last night after being transported from the DRC to the United Nations Logistics Base in Entebbe, Uganda, for forensic postmortems.

The hand-over ceremony was initially scheduled for last weekend but was delayed due to logistical challenges on the part of the United Nations in the DRC.

The SANDF expressed condolences to the families of the soldiers who died. The members were hailed as heroes by Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address. 

The 14 fallen soldiers are:

• Staff sergeant William Eddie Cola
• Staff sergeant Molahlehi Ishmael Molahlehi
• Staff sergeant Shwahlane Theophilus Seepe
• Corporal Matome Justice Malesa
• Corporal Rinae Nemavhulani
• Lance bombardier Itumeleng Macdonald Moreo
• Lance corporal Tseke Moffat Molapo
• Lance corporal Metse Stansly Raswiswi
• Rifleman Sebatane Richard Chokoe
• Rifleman Derrick Maluleke
• Rifleman Tshidiso Andries Mabele
• Rifleman Calvin Louis Moagi
• Rifleman Mokete Joseph Mobe
• Private Peter Jacobus Strydom