We are all at war and dying

Although I would never wish for it to happen, I've always wondered if SA would be prepared for a military invasion.

- Kyle Zeeman

Would it come from the mountains or over which border? And what would spark the war?

For many South Africans fed a steady diet of updates from, among others, the Russia-Ukraine and Gaza conflicts, war came a lot closer to home this week with the climbing death toll of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The smell of war is in the air, even though no enemy fire is heard in our towns or neighbourhoods.

The 13 deaths in less than a week leads to serious questions of just how prepared our soldiers were when their mission to maintain peace would eventually turn to conflict.