South African army personnel sit on vehicle awaiting deployment. Credit: AFP PHOTO.
South African army personnel sit on vehicle awaiting deployment. Credit: AFP PHOTO.    

Two groups of soldiers from the South African National Defence Force have been sent back to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo following an unauthorised night on the town.

According to eNCA, a group of 23 soldiers visited a shebeen frequented by sex workers in Goma a week ago. A second group of 27 soldiers also visited the place at the weekend.

Neither groups had permission to leave their base and they both broke their curfews.

SANDF spokesperson Jaco Theunissen said that the first group had already been charged and had been sent back home.

Both groups were from the 121st SA Infantry Battalion in Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal, eNCA reported.

South Africa has sent soldiers to the DRC as part of the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in the country.