Note to editors: the following speech was delivered in Parliament today by BOSA Leader, Mmusi Maimane MP, during a snap debate on the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Honourable Speaker, It is time to bring back our troops.
I want to thank you for honouring our request for a moment of silence at the State of the Nation Address in memory of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
We join the families of these brave soldiers in mourning their tragic loss. I have always stated categorically that we need to bring back our troops. No more lives must be lost. “Bring back our troops” should be the clarion call of this Parliament.
We are told that our soldiers are in the DRC to stop rebel groups and maintain peace. However, serious allegations suggest that this conflict is tied to the vast wealth of natural resources buried beneath the DRC’s soil. What are our troops truly fighting for?
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) resolution on this matter is inconsistent with the information we are being given. Let us be clear: This is not a peacekeeping mission—it is a combat mission.
The 2024 SADC document explicitly states that the mandate of the SAMIDRC is to engage in armed combat in the DRC. We must stop the distortion of facts. The situation in the eastern DRC has now deteriorated significantly, particularly with the resurgence of the M23 militia, allegedly backed by Rwanda.
The capture of key areas, including the city of Goma, has led to the displacement of over 1.5 million people. Despite our intervention, the violence continues to escalate.
Honourable Speaker, South Africa cannot afford to be entangled in a conflict with no clear resolution, and we cannot continue to misrepresent it as a peacekeeping mission. We need urgent and critical interventions:
- Immediate Troop Withdrawal – We call for the safe and urgent extraction of South African troops from the DRC. Our presence in this conflict does not contribute meaningfully to silencing the guns in Africa.
- Financial Sustainability – This mission has already required a special financial appropriation, and it is proving neither effective nor sustainable. Instead of achieving peace, it is draining South African resources while putting more lives at risk.
- Regional Peace Efforts – If we truly want peace in the region, we must focus on: Negotiating a peaceful settlement between M23 and the DRC government; Compelling Rwanda’s government to dismantle the FDLR.; and ensuring Rwanda withdraws its troops from the DRC. South Africa has traditionally played the role of mediator and peacekeeper in conflicts across the continent. However, in this instance, we are not playing a constructive or meaningful role.
- Parliamentary Inquiry – BOSA calls for a full parliamentary inquiry into the financial and strategic implications of our deployment in the DRC. Parliament must exercise its oversight role to ensure accountability and transparency in defence spending.
Honourable Speaker enough is enough. The lives of our soldiers are not expendable. The future of South Africa should not be compromised by ill-defined military engagements.
It is time to bring our troops home, prioritize our nation’s security, and refocus our efforts on building a stronger South Africa.
Media Statement by
Roger Solomons: BOSA Acting Spokesperson
Monday 10 February 2025
Media Enquiries:
Roger Solomons – BOSA Acting Spokesperson – 072 299 3551