Calls for Immediate Withdrawal of South African Troops From DRC

Dear Editor

Today’s Joint Portfolio Committee meeting on Defence was a crucial moment for the government to be held accountable for the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where our troops are once again caught in the crossfire of a foreign conflict.

The meeting saw MPs from the DA push the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, and the chiefs of the defence force for clarity on key questions.

The DA’s MPs demanded to know where the advice for the SANDF deployment came from, who gave that advice, and what oversight measures were in place to ensure the safety and readiness of our troops. Additionally, they asked where the counterintelligence operations were, given the precise coordination and mortar fire of M23 rebels—indicating that the attack was meticulously planned over a number of weeks. Instead of providing the answers South Africans deserve, the Minister and President continue to stonewall and delay accountability. This lack of transparency has only fuelled the growing fears of the public and the families of our soldiers.

The situation in the DRC continues to deteriorate. New reports of South African soldiers being captured by M23 rebels, along with the tragic deaths and injuries of more South African troops, underline the dire state of this operation. The M23 group now controls critical airspace and has encircled SANDF operation bases in Goma. Evacuation efforts have thus become even more perilous.

The DA has repeatedly called for the immediate withdrawal of our troops from the DRC, and we will continue to do so. Our soldiers are being sent into an unwinnable situation with inadequate support, and the people of South Africa deserve answers. More than that, they deserve action. Legacy reports from 2015 up to 2024 explicitly detail that the SANDF is in no position to undertake any peace or offensive mission, given its dire state of affairs.

We also note the lack of meaningful action on the part of the Minister of Defence. At this point, it is crystal clear that neither the President nor the Minister is capable of providing the leadership our troops need and deserve. In fact, the DA is also calling for Minister Motshekga to be fired. She has completely failed to account to this committee, remaining evasive, grandstanding, and arrogantly dismissing the concerns of MPs and the public alike.

Minister Motshekga, in her attempts to spin herself out of accountability, exposed her lack of understanding of the situation facing the SANDF soldiers trapped in the eastern DRC. By claiming that our soldiers have received enough firepower to defend themselves, despite contradictory reports on the number of deceased and wounded, she either misleads the public or reflects the poor advice given to her by her advising generals. Furthermore, her attempt to describe the SANDF deployment as a peacekeeping mission is a deliberate attempt to pacify the nation, as the orders for the SAMIDRC forces are clear—to support the FARDC in neutralising “illegal armed and negative forces,” including hunting down, killing, and disarming them. This is far from a peacekeeping effort.

The Minister also failed to respond to critical questions regarding the situation on the ground. She did not address concerns about our soldiers being surrounded by M23 rebels and having their movements controlled, nor did she respond to questions about whether there is any viable land or air logistical access to our forces.

The DA strongly reiterates our call for the immediate withdrawal of South African troops from the DRC. The families of those who have already made the ultimate sacrifice deserve closure, and our remaining soldiers need to be brought home before more lives are lost in a conflict that does not serve South Africa’s interests.

Regards

Chris Hattingh MP
DA Spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans