Motshekga dismisses political parties' claims that SANDF is involved in DRC war effort

CAPE TOWN - Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has dismissed claims by political parties that South African troops are involved in a war effort in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

She’s standing by the government’s position that the troops are part of a multi-country peacekeeping effort agreed to at a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Namibia in 2023.

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Motshekga says there’s no truth to claims that the government is protecting its own interests in the DRC as suggested by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) during questioning.

Acknowledging comments she’s made about the under-resourcing of the South African Army, Motshekga says this was not in specific reference to the DRC deployment.

She says the mission there is financially supported by the United Nations, the African Union and other SADC countries.

Motshekga says it would make no sense for other countries to agree to a mission to protect South African interests.

"The United Nations sits and supports a mission that’s supposed to support South African business. Can’t be true. It doesn’t make common sense. So it can’t be true."

She says the deployment in Goma has the necessary equipment for a peace mission and not a war.

"So you take enough to protect yourself, but you don’t take your firepower."

Ultimately Motshekga says the protracted tensions in the DRC won’t be resolved through the barrel of a gun - but rather around a negotiating table.