SANDF deployment to the DRC is reckless and must be reversed
10 January 2024
The deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as part of the SADC's military intervention force to the eastern DRC is a reckless decision that will potentially place the lives of our uniformed forces at severe risk. The DA is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as the Commander in Chief, to immediately rescind this decision and recall our troops once the MONUSCO obligations have come to an end.
According to reports, the SANDF was deployed on 13 December 2023 to lead a SADC military mission to eastern DRC to replace the UN’s MONUSCO whose mandate is ending this year, after a 20-year deployment. The SANDF deployment is expected to work with the DRC national security forces to fight the M23 rebels.
The reality is that the SANDF does not have the capacity to effectively pursue an anti-insurgency campaign against the M23 rebels and neither does it have the prime mission equipment to support the ground forces. For example, the SANDF has no Rooivalk helicopters available and the five Oryx in the DRC will likely be reduced to two during the course of that DRC deployment.
Military experts have warned that without proper air cover as well as transport and air elements, the SANDF/SADC intervention brigade will find it difficult to operate in hostile terrain.