‘We sent soldiers for peace, not war’ – Mbalula on SANDF presence in DRC

Ntshavheni

Cape Town – The ANC has called on the government to provide answers regarding the deaths of 13 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Speaking on Tuesday, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula announced that Defence Minister Angie Motshekga would brief the nation on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

He also conveyed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting them.

“In line with United Nations and African Union resolutions on peacekeeping, we call on the UN Security Council to act against these attacks on peacekeepers and the violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity enshrined in the UN Charter,” Mbalula said.

He noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa had engaged with regional leaders to discuss a ceasefire and the planned troika meetings set to take place before the end of the week.

“To this end, we have been made aware that the president of the country, have been engaged with different presidents in the region to discuss among others, ceasefire, and also the troiks meetings that must take place before the end of the week.

“The Minister of Defence will brief the nation tomorrow on the details of what happened. We lost 13 soldiers in the DRC, and it is crucial that the government handles this matter with the utmost sensitivity. The Defence Force must be the one to inform the families of the deceased first,” Mbalula said.

He also dismissed speculation about the soldiers’ deployment, urging the public to rely on official information.

“Our soldiers in the DRC are there for a peacekeeping missio. They are not acting alone. They are acting with others within the realm of the United Nations and SADC. We have done that in many other countries and there are milliary protocols when it comes to armaments that guide nations that lead peacekeeping missions in this regard. So sweeping statements that our soldiers are unarmed and all of that, we defer to government to answer in this regard.”

Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the EFF and DA, have demanded urgent action and accountability. The EFF criticised the SANDF’s deployment, citing poor leadership and resource shortages, while the DA called on President Ramaphosa to address the nation and clarify reports that some SANDF soldiers may have been captured by M23 rebels.

Justice Minister Mamoloko Kubayi defended South Africa’s role in the mission, emphasising that the deployment falls under a UN mandate and any withdrawal would require UN approval.

“I see quite a lot of people talking about funding and things like that, but this is part of a UN mission. So… it’s done as a package of a UN mission… so the UN will have a resolution to say that we are part of a peace keeping mission in a particular country and when that is done. That’s when they do the whole package.

“Because we were approached by the UN and we agreed, we don’t just pull out of the country or the mission,” IOL quoted Kubayi as saying.

The deaths of the soldiers have sparked widespread concern, with growing calls for transparency and financial support for their families.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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