Cape Town – Defence Minister Thandi Modise has affirmed that the country’s troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) would continue their mission for peace.
According to EWN, Modise spoke to journalists during the handover ceremony for the remains of the two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members in Tshwane.
“I would like to go back and say there is a war in the DRC. These are not the first two SA soldiers to die in the DRC.
“We have cried with families before because when the young men and women join the force, we become family,” the report quoted her as saying.
Defence Minister Thandi Modise says #SANDF members deployed to the DRC are well equipped.
Modise says South African cannot withdraw troops in the DRC until peace is achieved. @POWER987News pic.twitter.com/c0pmL4QU8H
— Nkosi Malinga-Mnisi (@MnisiNkosikhona) February 21, 2024
The two soldiers were killed in a mortar strike in the DRC and their bodies were repatriated on Wednesday, amid controversy at home around the army’s deployment, AFP reported.
South Africa’s decision to contribute troops to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission has been denounced by the main opposition as a mistake.
But the defence minister defended the deployment, labelling the claims of the Democratic Alliance (DA) “a blue lie”.
“When membership of the national defence force are sent out to any mission… their preparedness is checked,” Modise said.
Family members sat quietly as they watched the coffins of their loved ones, covered by the national flag, carried by South African Defence Force (SANDF) comrades.
Last week, the DA alleged the SANDF “does not have the capacity to effectively pursue an anti-insurgency campaign… neither does it have the prime mission equipment to support the ground forces”.
The deaths marked the first fatalities for South Africa since it began deploying 2 900 soldiers in eastern DRC in mid-December.
They were sent as part of a southern Africa regional force alongside soldiers from Tanzania and Malawi, tasked with helping DRC government forces fight M23 rebels.
“We went because sometimes for the region to make peace we must allow one neighbour to make peace among themselves,” Modisa said.
“Much as it’s breaking our hearts to get the bodies back… it’s also giving the South African troops” the “necessary experience”.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@DefenceZA
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
