Defence dismisses unfounded claims of surrender of two South African soldiers to M23 rebels

3 April 2024

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) rejects with contempt any suggestion or inference that two (2) of the South African soldiers deployed as part of the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC) have surrendered to the M23 rebels as contained in some media reports – National Security News. 

We want to state it categorically that all SANDF members deployed in the DRC have been accounted for. The convoluted article published by the faceless Washington correspondent is dismissed with the contempt it deserves. This is not the first time such unfounded and baseless news articles have been written about the SANDF since its deployment in the DRC under SAMIDRC. 

The SANDF views such attempts to discredit the defence force in the most serious light by faceless people, and will not standby and allow its good name to be tarnished. The SANDF as the authority for the deployed members shall at all times inform the South African public about the situation and safety of its members in the DRC.

Issued by Siphiwe Dlamini, Head of Communication, Department of Defence, 3 April 2024