Foreign Affairs analyst says SANDF in Goma not well-equipped
On Saturday nine South African soldiers in the Democratic of Congo died while they were fighting M23's advancement into Goma.
Armored vehicles belonging to the South Africa National Defence Forces (SANDF) contingent of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) drive towards deploy along the road leading to the entrance of the town of Sake, 25km north-west of Goma, on 23 January 2025. Picture: Michael Lunanga/AFP
JOHANNESBURG - Foreign Affairs Analyst Peter Fabricius says the South African Defence Force (SANDF) present in Goma does not have the same advanced equipment that the Rwandan-backed group M23 possesses.
He adds that from the moment the peacekeeping mission began in 2023 December there have been multiple concerns over the adequacy of the SANDF’s equipment and staff.
On Saturday nine South African soldiers in the Democratic of Congo died while they were fighting M23's advancement into Goma.
READ: S. African peacekeepers killed as fighting rages in DRC
Fabricius says the Parliamentary Defence Committee has called for the SANDF and the Ministry to account for the deaths of the soldiers.
“The M23 backed by Rwanda has very sophisticated equipment this time around. With missiles and jamming equipment and we seem to have inadequate in vital areas like in their support.”