SAMIDRC Force Commander, Major General Monwabisi Dyakopu,on the ground with troops in eastern DRC. Picture: SADC.
In the wake of nine deaths of South African military personnel detached to two separate peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), another voice has been added to the chorus of those calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove South African soldiers from the central African country.
The deaths caused by, among others, rebel mortar attacks and an as yet unexplained grenade explosion, are laid at the door of a lack of proper equipment, including air support.
South African Department of Defence (DoD) Head of Communication (HoD), Siphiwe Dlamini is reported by IOL as saying the deployment of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) elements is part of “constant scenario planning”. This, according to him, continues at all times in any deployment “as there are developments and every possibility is taken into account to ensure the protection and capabilities of the mission”.
On why there is a South African military presence in the DRC, Dlamini is reported as saying: “Like the UN peacekeeping mission [MONUSCO] the SADC mission [SAMIDRC] is to protect and safeguard civilian population. This is a SADC peacekeeping mission, a decision taken by regional leadership of the region. It is South Africa’s contribution to peace and security in the African continent”.
A different view comes from former Parliamentarian and now an independent defence analyst, Kobus Marais. He gives three reasons why “our soldiers should come home immediately”. They are insufficient funding, there is no threat to South Africa from conflict in the eastern DRC and the SANDF is “falling apart” with defence capabilities “diminishing by the day”.
“The challenge in the eastern DRC is an EAC [East African Community] problem especially as rebel groups are operating from the territories of a number of the DRC’s EAC neighbours against the DRC defence force and the local communities.
“This is not a SADC and a South African problem and certainly not worth the loss of our soldiers’ lives and our prime mission equipment.
“None of our national strategic interests or our national security are under threat. Not even the SADC neighbours of DRC in Angola and Zambia are involved, which should be an indication no South African threat exists,” Marais is reported by IOL as saying.
New Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa told the Sunday Times that he would, as a priority, ask Ramaphosa to urgently boost the budget for the SANDF elements on peacekeeping missions in the DRC and elsewhere so they are able to defend themselves. He said he will also ask the President to engage with his SADC counterparts about changing the rules of engagement for peacekeeping missions as the current rules and equipment are hobbling the SANDF’s ability to be more proactive in defending itself.
“You will find that the SANDF, they go there for peacekeeping purposes, but while they are there they are under attack because the rules and regulations governing peacekeeping are slightly different, to say you are not going to a war. So, you have limited equipment. It has to change.”
He also urged for a political settlement and government-to-government negotiations to resolve the conflict in the DRC.
“The neighbouring country which houses these rebels doesn’t care about us. They take us as if we are part of them, that we are defending the other side, for whatever reason,” Holomisa said of rebel forces that accuse SADC countries for siding with the Kinshasa regime that they are fighting.
M23 rebels have killed five SANDF soldiers in combat this year: on 14 February, two soldiers died and three were injured in an M23 mortar attack, and on 30 May, a medic was killed and 13 troops wounded during an M23 attack on Sake. Two Captains were killed on 25 June in another M23 mortar attack on Sake that also injured 20 SANDF troops.
Another two soldiers died in a murder/suicide in the DRC on 29 February, while a soldier also passed away in hospital. This week a Major was killed in a grenade explosion that is under investigation by the SANDF and UN.
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Publish date : 2024-07-11 11:14:58
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Author : africa-news
Publish date : 2024-07-13 04:36:47
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