South African MPs to the government: For your own self-interest, you sent our soldiers to die in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The South African Parliament has questioned the military organ’s authority in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, pointing out that it is not on a peacekeeping assignment and that it is necessary to clarify what it is defending in its deployment region.

The Parliament’s Portfolio Committee was briefed by Defense Minister Angie Motshekga and Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, the Chief of the South African National Defense Force, on the security situation and status of the SANDF in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to MP Mabel Rweqana, people are led to believe that South African troops are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on a peacekeeping assignment, yet their soldiers are killed in combat, and this is not the first time.

“Rather than serving in the peacekeeping mission we are being informed about, our soldiers are being used to defend other nations.”

14 South African troops were killed when M23 rebels moved forward and eventually took the crucial city of Goma on January 27, causing the South Africa-led SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to suffer losses during the last two weeks.

The SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sent more than 1,500 South African troops to fight with the Congolese army (FARDC) coalition, which also includes Burundian forces, and militia organizations including the FDLR, Congolese Wazalendo militia, and genocidal forces against AFC/M23 rebels.

President Paul Kagame refuted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s January 29 term “peacekeepers” used to describe the SADC Mission in the DR Congo (SAMIDRC).

In this case, SAMIDRC has no place and is not a peacekeeping force. In addition to collaborating with genocidal armed organizations like the FDLR that attack Rwanda, it was approved by SADC as a belligerent force that would carry out offensive combat operations to support the DR Congo government in its struggle against its own citizens, threatening to bring the conflict to Rwanda itself, Kagame stated.

Rweqana requested the defense minister of her nation to clarify what the SANDF troops are defending in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that leads an army purportedly on a peacekeeping assignment to become involved in combat.

What exactly are you expected to do to maintain peace? Do you want to fight the enemy and wait for war to break out? You constantly say you don’t have the money. Although you claim that you lack funding, you have the means to travel and defend other nations rather than maintaining peace. “This isn’t peacekeeping,” she declared, urging the administration to consider the lives of its soldiers.

The assessment of the legal opinion that was supposed to be given regarding a SANDF deployment letter to eastern DR Congo, however, is still pending, according to MP Nicholas Gotsell. This was done prior to calling the parliamentary briefing meeting regarding the situation of their troops in eastern DR Congo.

Two deployment letters indicating the SANDF mission in eastern DR Congo, given at various times, are inconsistent, he said.

He inquired about recent interviews in which Foreign Minister Motshekga stated that the army’s budget and air support capabilities were restricted.

“Despite the lack of a strategic bridge connecting South Africa to the Goma operational area and effective air superiority, why was the SANDF contingent sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo?” the senator questioned the minister.The South African Parliament has questioned the military organ’s authority in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, pointing out that it is not on a peacekeeping assignment and that it is necessary to clarify what it is defending in its deployment region.

The Parliament’s Portfolio Committee was briefed by Defense Minister Angie Motshekga and Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, the Chief of the South African National Defense Force, on the security situation and status of the SANDF in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to MP Mabel Rweqana, people are led to believe that South African troops are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on a peacekeeping assignment, yet their soldiers are killed in combat, and this is not the first time.

“Rather than serving in the peacekeeping mission we are being informed about, our soldiers are being used to defend other nations.”

14 South African troops were killed when M23 rebels moved forward and eventually took the crucial city of Goma on January 27, causing the South Africa-led SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to suffer losses during the last two weeks.

The SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sent more than 1,500 South African troops to fight with the Congolese army (FARDC) coalition, which also includes Burundian forces, and militia organizations including the FDLR, Congolese Wazalendo militia, and genocidal forces against AFC/M23 rebels.

President Paul Kagame refuted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s January 29 term “peacekeepers” used to describe the SADC Mission in the DR Congo (SAMIDRC).

In this case, SAMIDRC has no place and is not a peacekeeping force. In addition to collaborating with genocidal armed organizations like the FDLR that attack Rwanda, it was approved by SADC as a belligerent force that would carry out offensive combat operations to support the DR Congo government in its struggle against its own citizens, threatening to bring the conflict to Rwanda itself, Kagame stated.

Rweqana requested the defense minister of her nation to clarify what the SANDF troops are defending in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that leads an army purportedly on a peacekeeping assignment to become involved in combat.

What exactly are you expected to do to maintain peace? Do you want to fight the enemy and wait for war to break out? You constantly say you don’t have the money. Although you claim that you lack funding, you have the means to travel and defend other nations rather than maintaining peace. “This isn’t peacekeeping,” she declared, urging the administration to consider the lives of its soldiers.

The assessment of the legal opinion that was supposed to be given regarding a SANDF deployment letter to eastern DR Congo, however, is still pending, according to MP Nicholas Gotsell. This was done prior to calling the parliamentary briefing meeting regarding the situation of their troops in eastern DR Congo.

Two deployment letters indicating the SANDF mission in eastern DR Congo, given at various times, are inconsistent, he said.

He inquired about recent interviews in which Foreign Minister Motshekga stated that the army’s budget and air support capabilities were restricted.

“Despite the lack of a strategic bridge connecting South Africa to the Goma operational area and effective air superiority, why was the SANDF contingent sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo?” the senator questioned the minister.