What About the Troops That Are Still Alive?

Dear Editor

The DA has written to Minister Angie Motshekga to determine the whereabouts of all South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including whether they are wounded, and to seek information on the level of medical care they are receiving. This follows recent reports that our soldiers have been trapped in their base in Goma with limited supplies of water, food, and medicine.

Whilst three slightly wounded soldiers who were part of the reaction force of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (Monusco) were flown back to South Africa two weeks ago, several of South Africa’s wounded soldiers were believed to be receiving treatment at hospitals in Goma. There is, however, no certainty as to the number of SANDF members who are wounded, the nature of their injuries and, more particularly, whether any of the trapped soldiers at the South African base are injured and receiving treatment.

Some SANDF soldiers are, according to reports, seriously wounded and it is unclear whether they are receiving the care they need. This includes a soldier who suffered double amputation and a paratrooper who requires specialised eye care after having already lost sight in one eye and has shrapnel in the other and several. It further reported that the International Red Cross has warned that the hospitals in Goma could not manage the severe influx of injured persons.

No information has been forthcoming from the South African government regarding the real situation in Goma; whether our soldiers are prisoners of war or simply now being controlled by the M23 rebels and, more importantly, who exactly is negotiating on their behalf. What is known is that the rebels have full control over Goma and neighbouring towns, access routes and UN peacekeepers in the DRC.

A closed meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, scheduled for last Friday, was postponed to Friday, 28 February, for a full briefing on the situation in Goma.

During the past two meetings of the JSCD details regarding the well-being of our soldiers and information as to whether they are well resourced have been sparse.

Both the Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, and one of her deputies, Richard Hlophe, have struggled to stay awake during the briefing for members of the JSCD at an extraordinary meeting on 4 February.

Several questions asked by DA MP’s during this meeting and a subsequent meeting on 7 February have gone unanswered, including a request to provide information as to who advised the President to extend the deployment of our troops in the DRC for another year from 15 December 2024.

Whilst it is unclear whether this is because of neglect due to their power naps or whether they are deliberately hiding important information from Parliament’s oversight body, the DA will continue to demand that the JSCD perform its oversight function and will not allow the ANC co-chairpersons of the committee, Malusi Gigaba and Phiroane Phala, to continue to protect the Minister and the President from not answering questions.

During the President’s reply to the debate on his State of the Nation Address, he said that “the decision to deploy our armed forces is not taken lightly, particularly when that deployment may put our defence force members in harm’s way”. It is clear that our troops are in harm’s way and have no peacekeeping abilities. This raises the question as to why all our soldiers are not evacuated.

The DA therefore calls on the minister to provide a full tally of our soldiers and to provide an explanation as to why those who are not being evacuated today are still in the DRC when they are being held at the mercy of the M23 rebels.

Regards

Nicholas Gotsell MP
DA NCOP Member on Select Committee on Security & Justice