THE Moagi family’s Saturday evening was shattered by a phone call that no military family ever wants to receive. Their son Calvin, a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been killed in combat with M23 rebels.
“We knew that he was in a war-torn country but always thought he would come back,” says family spokesman Monageng Moagi, his voice heavy with emotion. “When he returned safely from his deployment in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region in 2022/2023, we believed this mission would be the same. The news came as a devastating shock.”
Calvin’s path to military service was inspired by a family legacy – he followed in the footsteps of an uncle, pursuing what had been a childhood dream. He joined the army after matriculating at Makgwahleng Secondary School in Ga-Sekororo, Lorraine in Limpopo. Those who knew him remember a young man whose humility and work ethic stood out as much as his active spirit.
The family now grapples not only with their personal loss but with concerns for other South African soldiers still engaged in combat with M23 rebels in the region. Through their grief, they’ve called on the government to consider withdrawing troops from the increasingly contested deployment.
While the SANDF has provided full support to the bereaved family, they still await details about the circumstances of Calvin’s death. He was one of nine South African soldiers who lost their lives in the fighting near Goma.
“We want him to be remembered as a soldier who fought for peace,” Monageng says, “When peace finally comes to Eastern DRC, it will serve as a fitting tribute to Calvin and his eight fallen comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The loss has sparked renewed debate in South Africa about the country’s military involvement in the UN peacekeeping mission, with opposition parties calling for parliamentary discussion on the deployment’s future.
