The African National Congress (ANC) Defence and Military Veterans Study Group in parliament on Friday congratulated Lieutenant Colonel Tiisetso Sekgobela for being the first woman in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to command a battalion.

Sekgobela was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo a year ago to command the 7th South African infantry battalion as part of ongoing United Nations peace enforcement operations in that country.

"We as the ANC Study Group on Defence and Military Veterans commend Sekgobela for this astonishing accomplishment," the veterans group's Thabo Mmuthle said in a statement.

He said Sekgobela's ground-breaking milestone was an indication that women could lead in strategic roles in the SANDF.

"We hope that the youth and future generations our country, particularly women, are not only encouraged but are inspired by Sekgobela’s feats; as her story is an example of the inclusive, non-racist and non-sexist society that the ANC-led government strives to build," Mmuthle added.

He applauded the SANDF for advancing government policies seeking to redress historical inequalities that still persisted in society.