ANC calls for accountability following deaths of 13 South African soldiers in DRC
The ANC has called on the government to provide answers regarding the deaths of 13 South African soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The soldiers are part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC.
On Tuesday, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula addressed the media following the party’s NEC Lekgotla over the weekend, vowing that Defence Minister Angie Motshekga would address the nation to explain the circumstances surrounding the deaths on Wednesday.
“We call on the UN to act on the attacks… to this end, we have been made aware that the president of this country has been engaged with different presidents in the region to discuss among others a ceasefire.
“The Minister of Defence will tomorrow brief the nation on the details of what happened regarding the loss of soldiers… It’s important that the government must deal with this matter.
“We act with sensitivity in this instance… We await the full briefing and details in regard to what happened in the DRC… and that our government must do whatever they can to support our soldiers… At the right time, the president will take the country into confidence as to what happened in the DRC,” Mbalula said.
He also sent the party’s condolences to those who lost their lives and the injured.
“These brave men and women paid the ultimate price in their service to peace and security in the African continent. The ANC salutes their courage and sacrifice. Our thoughts are with their families, we also wish for a swift recovery to those who have been injured,” Mbalula said.
Opposition parties, the EFF and the DA, have also responded to the deaths, calling for urgent action and accountability from the government.
The EFF has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, demanding urgent discussion on the matter.
The party’s National Chairperson, Nontando Nolutshungu, stated that the SANDF lacks the capacity to participate in military operations due to poor political leadership and budget cuts.
“The continued deployment of SANDF soldiers in the DRC, despite glaring deficiencies in resources and preparedness, appears to prioritise the interests of multinational corporations exploiting the DRC’s mineral wealth, with the lives of South African soldiers sacrificed in the pursuit of profit,” Nolutshungu wrote.
The DA has also called for urgent action, with the party’s Defence spokesperson, Chris Hattingh, demanding that President Cyril Ramaphosa address the nation immediately.
“Since the recent deaths of yet more troops, SANDF Commander in Chief, President Cyril Ramaphosa, has yet to address the nation to provide comfort to families grieving and assure South Africans of the safety of our Defence Force,” Hattingh said.
The DA has also expressed concern over reports that SANDF soldiers may have been captured by the M23 rebels, with Hattingh stating that the president’s silence on the matter is “deafening”.
The deaths of the 13 South African soldiers have sparked widespread outrage and concern, with many calling for transparency from the government, saying that the soldiers have to be supported financially.
However, NEC member and Justice Minister Mamoloko Kubayi, addressing calls for SA to withdraw the troops and the financial difficulties, said the mission is part of a larger group controlled by the UN.
“I see quite a lot of people talking about funding and things like that, but this is part of a UN mission. So… it’s done as a package of a UN mission… so the UN will have a resolution to say that we are part of a peace keeping mission in a particular country and when that is done. That’s when they do the whole package.
“Because we were approached by the UN and we agreed, we don’t just pull out of the country or the mission,” Kubayi said.
mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za