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Fears are emerging for the safety of hundreds of South African peace keepers operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo following reports that Goma has fallen to rebels.
Members of the South African African Defence Force deployed in the country as part of the South African Development Community (SADC) Mission are now said to be in grave danger.
Videos obtained by National Security News and circulating on WhatsApp groups suggest that some South African soldiers have surrendered to the M23 rebels. Earlier, nine South African soldiers were reportedly killed in fierce battles with the rebels, and many more have sustained injuries.
In an interview with National Security news, Kobus Marais, the former DA shadow minister of Defence in South Africa says the SANDF in the DRC are “enormously under-resourced” and in dire danger.
South Africa’s military is spearheading a peacekeeping mission alongside SADC forces following the withdrawal of 2,000 United Nations peacekeepers. President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the deployment of 2,900 soldiers to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This decision has sparked intense criticism domestically, with many questioning the rationale behind South Africa’s involvement in a conflict so distant from its borders. Critics of the mission say that the mission is not adequately resourced.
Reports on social media of South African soldiers surrendering to M23 rebels
Marais said he hoped that South African soldiers will not be captured. “Although there might be concern about their training, I do not doubt that they will fight until the end.” He said the troops rely on equipment and logistical support, “it might be a decisive factor.”
National Security News has been sent videos and photos that are circulating indicating that South African soldiers have surrendered to M23 rebels.
While SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini claimed the South African soldiers in Goma were safe in their bases, Marais said although the soldiers could protect themselves, there had been attacks inside military bases, and there are also rumours that Congolese bases have been taken over. Marais said South African soldiers in the area were “enormously under-resourced,” which was a major concern.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty going on, but I think enough to know that it is dire, and it is a situation that reminds us of the Battle of Bangui. And remember in that case also, the big problem was EVACs and MedeVacs, and we know that while we have got three Oryx helicopters in the DRC, we know that one is damaged and probably still in Goma, and the other two, we believe, have been flown to Beni. But they are not serviceable and they cannot support our soldiers with MedeVacs and EVACs. So, it is a major concern how to reach our soldiers, how to replenish their stocks.”
Opposition urges Defence Minister to brief Parliament,
The Democratic Alliance has called on South Africa’s Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, to urgently brief Parliament on what it called the SANDF DRC calamity. The DA defence spokesperson and member of Parliament, Chris Hattingh, said the DA wanted answers from Minister Motshekga and to hear her plan on how the SA base and personnel would be safeguarded.
“It is just as unacceptable that the Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, and her generals, in stark contrast to the plight of the wounded SANDF soldiers, flew out of Goma yesterday in a luxury VIP Falcon jet, leaving behind wounded soldiers with no SANDF air support available for them,” Hattingh said.
While Motshekga’s office confirmed that she returned from a trip to the DRC on Saturday, Marais said there are indications that the same aircraft, the Falcon 50, has flown to Burundi this morning. “There is probably senior South African leadership, defence leadership, probably the chief of joint ops and maybe the chief of the SANDF on board,” Marais said.
Calls on the SA government to withdraw SA soldiers from the DRC and increase defence spending
Marais said the South African government was not “acting responsibly.” He said the soldiers should be withdrawn from the DRC and that the defence force should be repositioned, restructured, and rejuvenated, making sure that “South Africa’s land borders and maritime terrain and airspace are defended properly and effectively.”
He said other SADC members that are immediate neighbours of the DRC, such as Angola and Zambia, are not involved in this war.
“So, are they seeing that this is not a real threat to them, and they do not want to get involved in the internal affairs of the DRC? If that is the case, why should we, as the southernmost member, who can least afford it financially and in terms of human resources and equipment, sacrifice our lives and equipment and obviously money if that is the case in Central Africa?” Marais asked.
South Africa calls out Rwandan army at the UN Security Council for M23 rebel support
Speaking at a UN Security Council, South Africa’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Ambassador Mathu Joyini, said it was crucial that the Rwanda Defence Forces cease support for the M23 rebels and that the rebels immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from the occupied areas.
Ambassador Joyini urged the Security Council to use the tools at its disposal to act against those who perpetuate the conflict in eastern DRC, including calling for their withdrawal from the area.
President Ramaphosa confirmed on the evening of the 27th of January that talks had taken place between him and Rwanda President Paul Kagame.
