This emerged during a parliamentary briefing on the SA National Defence Force’s (SANDF) withdrawal from the conflict-ridden eastern DRC, where troops had been stationed as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional force.

Defence Minister Angie Motshekga told members of parliament (MP) that while the mission had come at a steep cost, it had achieved its strategic objectives. The soldiers, she said, had carried out their duties with distinction under extremely challenging conditions.

The SANDF contingent was drawn into a series of violent clashes between the Congolese military and M23 rebels, a group that has seized control of key territories in the east and continues to defy both regional and international peace efforts.

Although Motshekga offered few specifics, she hinted at frustrations over regional cooperation. “There were delays in the DRC’s commitments,” she noted, adding that while some partners regularly participated in meetings, others were noticeably absent, a diplomatic nod to the uneven co-ordination that has plagued the SADC mission.

Critics, including some opposition MPs and civil society groups, have raised concerns about the transparency of the mission and questioned whether SA’s involvement is sustainable in the long term, given rising costs and military fatalities.

Still, the government maintains the deployment has helped stabilise key areas and strengthened Pretoria’s standing in regional peacekeeping efforts.

--ChannelAfrica--