The name of the South African soldier who was allegedly shot dead by a colleague in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Friday night has been released.

The South African National Defence Force named her as Private Nomathemba Ngeleka.

“She was working at 5 South African infantry Battalion in Ladysmith‚ KwaZulu-Natal‚ and joined the SA Army in 2011. The member has one child and leaves behind her parents‚ three sisters and three brothers‚” the SANDF said in a statement on Sunday.

Details of her memorial and funeral service would be communicated as soon as the family had finalised the arrangements‚ the SANDF said.

It said earlier that Ngeleka’s colleague‚ with whom she is believed to have been romantically involved‚ attempted to commit suicide after he allegedly shot her. He is in a critical condition in a hospital in Goma in the eastern DRC where the couple were based‚

Ngeleka died on arrival at a hospital in Goma.

“The motive behind the shooting is not yet known‚” said SANDF spokesman Brigadier-General Mafi Mgobozi.

The incident occurred at about 8.45pm on Friday.