SANDF's shocking conduct in the DRC

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, confirmed, in a reply to a parliamentary question, that there have been 93 cases of misconduct brought against members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) serving as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The SANDF is supposed to be a "disciplined military force". However, there have been 93 cases of misconduct brought against members of the SANDF serving in the DRC. Of the 93 cases, most shockingly, at least 23 involve rape, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and assault of women. These include, for example:

• Alleged sexual molestation;
• Rape and murder of a Burundian girl;
• Sexual abuse and exploitation; and
• Sexual abuse and misconduct.

It is completely unacceptable for the members of the SANDF, who are supposed to be a disciplined military force, to begin to mirror the behaviour of the national defence force and rebel groups, in the DRC.

The parliamentary question specifically probed whether the United Nations (UN) had been informed about the outcome of each investigation conducted by the SANDF. However, this part of the question was not replied to by the Minister and suggests the SANDF may not have fully cooperated with the UN in investigating some cases of misconduct in the DRC.

I will, therefore, be asking further parliamentary questions concerning the cooperation of the UN and the SANDF investigating the outstanding cases of misconduct in the DRC.

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, June 12 2013

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