SANDU calls for patience while plans afoot to bring SA troops back from DRC
At a meeting held on Thursday, SADC heads of state terminated the mandate of a delegation of troops, comprising South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania, stationed in the eastern part of the DRC since December 2023.
- South African National Defence Force (SANDF)
- South African National Defence Union (SANDU)
- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
SANDF army defence force soldiers
JOHANNESBURG - The public is being called upon to allow the State time and space to bring South African troops back home from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
On Thursday, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state extraordinary summit, held in Harare, Zimbabwe, terminated the mandate of a delegation of troops, comprising of South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania, stationed in the eastern part of the DRC since December 2023.
The heads of state, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, ordered the phased withdrawal of the troops.
In January, 16 the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers were killed in the ongoing conflict, and their bodies were repatriated for burial a month later.
The South African National Defence Union (SANDU) has called on South Africans to be sensitive to the process of withdrawing troops from eastern DRC.
SANDU national secretary Pikkie Greef said, “We do believe that plans are afoot for the execution of the withdrawal and we sensitise the public that this phase of the process is a very sensitive one.”
Greef said they were relieved by the decision given the precarious position SANDF troops are in.