Thabiso Goba7 February 2025 | 6:56

ActionSA's Mashaba demands SANDF soldiers return from DRC to 'guard our borders'

Herman Mashaba said he's not impressed by the reasons given by President Cyril Ramaphosa over why the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was in the DRC.

ActionSA's Mashaba demands SANDF soldiers return from DRC to 'guard our borders'

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/Eyewitness News

CAPE TOWN - ActionSA president Herman Mashaba touched on the South African soldiers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the sidelines of Thursday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Mashaba said the troops must come back to protect the country’s borders.

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He said he's not impressed by the reasons given by President Cyril Ramaphosa over why the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was in the DRC.

At least 14 troops have been killed on a peacekeeping mission to the DRC.

The city of Goma is at the centre of a war between the country's force and the rebel militia group M23, which is allegedly backed by Rwanda.

Mashaba said the country’s soldiers must be used to solve issues at home.

"We want answers, and we demand them, and we’re not going to stop making noise about this because we want our soldiers back in our country to come and actually guard our borders to stop international criminal syndicates coming into our country."