By BAKANG MOKOTO
30 April 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it will question Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, on the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployment and failures in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This comes after reports that the SANDF soldiers were withdrawn from the DRC.
The DA spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans, Chris Hattingh, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) said, the Parliament and the public have received no communication about the mission. Hattingh further said they will use the upcoming meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Defence on 9 May 2025, to question Motshekga on the SANDF’s troubled deployment and disorderly withdrawal from the DRC.
“The withdrawal of South African troops from eastern DRC has been marred by poor planning, vague objectives, and a disturbing lack of transparency. What should have been a coordinated and strategic exit has instead become a confused and dangerous process, placing our soldiers at risk and leaving the nation with more questions than answers.
“The SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), whose mandate effectively expired in March 2025, is now pulling out of Goma and Sake—areas where South African troops have remained for months following the deadly events of January 2025.
“Parliament has received no formal briefing and the public is being kept in the dark. Reports confirmed by soldiers on the ground indicate that SANDF troops, along with Tanzanian and Malawian forces, are withdrawing via Tanzania,” he said.
Hattingh added that, alarming accounts suggest that M23 rebels—widely believed to be backed by Rwanda—are inspecting SANDF military equipment as the convoys pass. He said members of the elite quick reaction force (QRF) have described this experience as both frustrating and humiliating.
“There has been no official communication from the Department of Defence, SANDF, or SADC. It has instead emerged that safe passage for our troops had to be negotiated with Rwanda after M23 seized control of vital infrastructure.
“Soldiers continue to report logistical failures, poor communication, and uncertainty about the status of military vehicles and heavy weaponry. Fourteen South African soldiers lost their lives in the Battle for Goma,” said Hattingh.
He said the lack of accountability since then is unacceptable. Hattingh said at the 9 May committee meeting, the DA will put questions to Motshekga.
“We will ask her what were the terms and scope of the SANDF’s deployment to the DRC under the SAMIDRC and why has Parliament not been fully briefed? What operational failures led to the current disorganised withdrawal and how is the department ensuring the safety of remaining personnel and equipment?
“What is the current status of SANDF assets deployed in the DRC, including any that may be missing, damaged, or compromised? Our soldiers deserve better. Their families deserve answers and South Africa deserves the truth,” he said.
Meanwhile, the https://www.defenceweb.co.za/ reported that Goma airport runway was blocked by M23. The website said withdrawal of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the DRC, terminated in mid-March, is finally underway.
“Equipment and personnel from the three SAMIDRC troop contributing countries (TCCs) – Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania – are being withdrawn from bases in Goma and Sake.
“The regional bloc mission was deployed to the eastern DRC in December 2023 with a 12 month mandate, later extended by a further year before calling a halt to operations in the wake of a fatality and casualty filled January.”
Business Day reports sources in the South African contingent saying the order to start packing came just ahead of last weekend. The publication further reports equipment and personnel will move in multiple convoys via Burundi and Rwanda to Chato in north-western Tanzania.
“The Lake Victoria port town, 500 km from Goma and Sake, will be the staging point ahead of force contingents splitting for repatriation to their respective home countries.
“We are leaving nothing behind,” a South African soldier is reported as saying, with another on record as saying “As far as we know, the group’s quick reaction force (QRF) will leave last to provide protection for the tail of the entire convoy.”
The QRF was reportedly in the vanguard of the January battle to maintain control of Goma airport. The QRF, again according to Business Day, “sowed havoc” among M23 (Mouvement du 23 Mars) rebels killing more than 700 in “fierce fire fights” at and around the airport.
There was at the time of publication no update from either SADC, the East African Community (EAC) or the Directorate Corporate Communication (DCC) of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) on the withdrawal.
The Guardian 