The remains of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Corporal, Sello Lekgoathi were handed over to his family on Thursday morning at the Air Force Base in Waterkloof in Pretoria.
Lekgoathi died last week of natural causes while he was deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
His death comes a few weeks after another member also lost his life in the DRC. He also died of natural causes.
Chief of Joint Operations at the SANDF, Lieutenant Rudzani Maphwanya has confirmed he died of natural causes.
“What actually transpired is that the member reported sick with a fever, that is flu in the South African term. He went to the sickbay and he was treated and given medication and was given sick leave according to the UN standards. Whilst he was recovering on the 28th, when he was supposed to be checked again, the member collapsed and they tried to resuscitate him but it was too late, there was no pulse and he passed on,” says Maphwanya.
