Presidency dismisses claims that SA troops in DRC to protect Ramaphosa's mining interests
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya rejected the claims, saying South African troops have been involved in peacekeeping missions in the region for over 20 years.
FILE: President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: GCIS
CAPE TOWN - Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has dismissed claims that South African troops are in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to protect the president's mining interests.
Magwenya rejected the claims, saying that South African troops had been involved in peacekeeping missions in the region for over 20 years.
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Magwenya was addressing the media in Parliament on Wednesday about President Cyril Ramaphosa’s programme and the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)’s Natasha Ntlangwini on Tuesday alleged that the DRC mission was mainly to protect the mining interests of Ramaphosa’s associates and friends.
A Rwandan government spokesperson also made similar claims, saying the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was in the DRC to protect Ramaphosa’s personal interests.
However, Magwenya said that nothing could be further from the truth.
"To reduce such a long commitment to the attainment of peace in the DRC, on our continent, to the protection of mining interests is completely devoid of any truth."
Magwenya said this assertion lacked any knowledge of South Africa’s role.
"We’ve been involved in more than 20 peacekeeping initiatives on the continent, the latest being Mozambique."
Magwenya also didn’t rule out a meeting between Ramaphosa and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, either at a Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Tanzania or at an African Union (AU) gathering later in 2025.