‘He was scared and depressed’: Father says soldier’s death in DRC could have been avoided

The family of one of the soldiers who was killed in a bombing in Sake in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week say they can’t get closure because his body is in a mobile mortuary in a state run by rebels in that country.

No closure for family of SANDF soldier

Pieter Strydom Snr said his son, also Pieter Strydom, would still be alive if the SANDF had sent him home when he asked to return.

“Besides that, we are hurting, nothing makes sense, and we have so many questions because things could have been different.”

The 34-year-old Strydom Jr., a father of three boys, worked as a chef at the ASB unit in Kimberly after joining the military in 2010. He was stationed there until he went on deployment to work in Congo last year. “It was a hell of a story to get him to Congo.”

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In November 2023, Pieter went to Luanda, Angola, to train to work in the DRC. In April 2024, he went to the DRC as a military chef. He was supposed to be stationed in Goma, a less dangerous area than Sake.

Makeshift bunkers

With bombs falling and bullets flying, Sake was a huge shock for Pieter. Strydom said his son continued his deployment despite being concerned about what he called makeshift bunkers.

“They dug trenches and covered it with a few tyres and sandbags; that’s it. There wasn’t enough space for all the soldiers to hide in at the same time. That was one of his biggest fears because when the bombs started falling, it was first come, first serve to hide in the bunkers, otherwise you had to hide under a truck or a tree.”

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Strydom asked to be sent home

Strydom said about two months ago, his son started doubting his decision to be deployed and wrote to his commander to be released from his duties because his mental health had deteriorated. However, he was forced to serve out his deployment.

“They denied his application to leave. My child would be alive today if the military sent him home when he asked to return home. He asked them to go home, he was scared and depressed, and they refused to listen to him,” he said.

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Strydom said his son was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the bombs started falling last week Friday.

“There were five [soldiers there]; four of them died instantly, and my Pieter bled to death a while later. I am heartbroken, my wife is heartbroken, his wife is heartbroken, and his three children are heartbroken because it could have been avoided,” he said.

Strydom said his son’s body, the injured soldiers, and the new troops were all at the mercy of the rebels. He questioned why his son’s body couldn’t be brought back when South Africa sent additional troops to the DRC.

“We can’t get closure because his body is still in the DRC,” he said.

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