Ramaphosa, Lamola under fire as M23 rebel delegates attend South African peace talks undetected

The South African government finds itself embroiled in a fresh diplomatic storm following revelations that representatives of the sanctioned M23 rebel group recently attended a high-level African peace dialogue in Magaliesburg, Gauteng, without proper vetting or detection.

This, after reports emerged last week that just months after deadly clashes in Goma between M23 rebels and peacekeepers resulting in the deaths of 14 South African soldiers, an M23 delegation made its way to South Africa for peace talks. 

However, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Ronald Lamola, swiftly denied this move, claiming the government was unaware of their presence.

However, former Dirco deputy minister Marius Fransman has sharply criticised the government’s handling of the matter. In a pointed statement issued on Sunday, Fransman called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Lamola to issue a public apology, warning that South Africa’s credibility on the continent is at stake.

“South Africa now finds itself at the center of an avoidable diplomatic crisis following revelations that representatives of the M23 rebel movement attended the recently concluded African Peace and Security Dialogue in Magaliesburg, Gauteng,” Fransman declared.

“As a former Deputy Minister of Dirco, I am deeply concerned by the admission from government officials, including statements by Minister Ronald Lamola, that they were unaware of the group’s presence.”  

Fransman stated that this oversight “raises unsettling questions about the integrity of our diplomatic vetting processes, the credibility of our international engagements, and South Africa’s standing as a peace broker on the African continent.”

The former official slammed the contradiction between South Africa’s touted leadership role in peace and its failure to enforce basic due diligence. 

“It is not enough to proclaim South Africa’s role as a champion of peace and stability while basic due diligence is ignored. Such lapses weaken our credibility, diminish our leverage in continental diplomacy, and embolden those who exploit instability.”

With raw wounds still fresh from the casualties suffered during confrontations with M23 rebels, Fransman called the government’s actions “a moral betrayal.”  

“Our soldiers paid the ultimate price for peace and died at the hands of the very same M23 rebels. Their blood is still fresh, their families are still mourning, yet today we are confronted with the disgrace of a former head of state engaging directly with those responsible for these atrocities."

“If the government cannot even confirm how M23 delegates entered the country, then who can guarantee that they have since left? 

“What if they are still loitering in Gauteng or elsewhere, in a society already wracked by violent crime? The potential ramifications for the safety of ordinary South Africans are dire.”

Fransman called on Ramaphosa and Lamola to issue “an unequivocal public apology to President Félix Tshisekedi, the SADC leadership, and the African Union.

He warned that failure to do so would risk “irreparably damaging the trust that South Africa has worked for decades to build within the region and across the continent.”

In addition to an apology, Fransman outlined urgent corrective steps to restore South Africa’s standing, suggesting the government disclose how the M23 delegation gained access and who was responsible.

“Hold those responsible to account without bureaucratic shielding, Implement rigorous, transparent vetting procedures in the future, honour the lives lost by refusing engagement with those responsible."

In addition, Fransman said that the government must confirm whether M23 delegates remain in South Africa and neutralise any threat - and back the apology with concrete action to prevent repeat incidents.”

Fransman said that the incident can potentially erode trust not only among African states but within the broader international community. 

“We must act decisively and transparently to restore confidence in South Africa’s diplomatic machinery. The world is watching, and our credibility is on the line,” Fransman said.

thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za

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