The South African National Defence Union (SANDU) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the nation and provide clarity on the ongoing situation in the DRC, after nine members of the SANDF lost their lives during combat against M23 rebels last week, with dozens more injured.
On Saturday, the Department of Defence said the casualties came from two days of fierce fighting amid an M23 push to take over the provincial capital of the eastern DRC, Goma.
Department of Defence Head of Communication Siphiwe Dlamini says the South African contingent and its counterparts were able to halt the rebel group’s advancement.
“The M23 hostile forces had launched a full-scale attack on our troops with the intention of taking over Goma but were unable to advance due to the heroic resistance put up by our gallant fighters. Our forces were not only able to halt the M23 advancement but were able to push them back. The intention of the M23, amongst others, is also to take over the city of Goma, but it met with heavy resistance from the SANDF contingent, which managed to prevent them from proceeding into Goma.”
Dlamini said seven of the SANDF soldiers that were lost were part of the South African contingent deployed in the eastern DRC in December 2023 as part of the 16-member regional bloc SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC) and two members were from the UN mission MONUSCO.
Dlamini added the process of informing the families of the deceased was underway.
Three Malawian soldiers were also killed.
SANDU National Secretary Pikkie Greef expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers but added that President Cyril Ramaphosa must provide regular and transparent updates to the public regarding the situation in the DRC.
He says clear communication is essential to dispel rumours and maintain trust in the SANDF’s ability to manage this crisis.
Greef says the lack of communication has become all too common, with SANDF leadership keeping the public and even at times ministers in the dark for far too long.
He says such delays show a lack of respect for those who serve and undermine trust in the military and the government’s ability to manage this crisis effectively.
“Soldiers deserve more than silence. Their sacrifices and injuries demand immediate acknowledgement and action from our leaders. It is unacceptable for such critical information to be delayed or withheld. We need answers, and we need them now.”
Greef says according to their information, the situation has become increasingly dire, with SANDF resources under immense strain.
“This crisis highlights the severe risks our soldiers are facing without sufficient support and resources. SANDU has repeatedly warned about the risk of inadequate support and resources while on deployment.”
The DA has also voiced concerns, urging the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, to urgently brief Parliament on the situation in the DRC.
The Party’s spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans, Chris Hattingh, said it is unacceptable that “while SA soldiers are marched to their deaths, the President, who ordered the deployment, sat locked in internal party scuffles, fighting internal party battles, at the ANC Lekgotla.”
“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 (Friday) in a luxury VIP Falcon jet, leaving behind wounded soldiers with no SANDF air support available for them.”
Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence confirmed on Sunday that it would urgently schedule a meeting to receive a full briefing on the incident and the overall status of the deployment.
The crisis also prompted the United National Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday.
The head of the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, Bintou Keita said “we are trapped” and called for immediate action to end the crisis.
The ambassadors of Uruguay and South Africa also appealed to the Security Council to protect UN troops.
