Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has addressed growing speculation about the conditions faced by South African troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), calling on the nation to stand behind its soldiers. In a statement on Wednesday, the President emphasized the government’s concern over misleading reports and reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to peacekeeping efforts.

According to South African Government News Agency, the President stressed the importance of national support for the troops, stating, “We are concerned about the speculation about the state of our troops and the battle conditions. All South Africans must rally behind our brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to bringing peace in our continent.” He clarified that South Africa’s military presence in the eastern DRC is part of broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) and United Nations efforts to bring peace and protect lives in the conflict-ridden region.

The SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) was launched on December 15, 2023, as a regional peacekeeping initiative to assist the DRC government in restoring peace and security in the eastern regions. This deployment was approved during an Extraordinary SADC Summit in Windhoek, Namibia, on May 8, 2023, in response to escalating conflicts caused by the resurgence of armed groups.

SAMIDRC comprises military contingents from Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania, working in collaboration with the Congolese Army, FARDC, to combat and eradicate armed groups operating in eastern DRC. The President’s remarks follow the recent intensification of fighting in the region, where South Africa lost 13 soldiers committed to their peacekeeping mission.

The fighting involves an escalation by the rebel group M23 and Rwanda Defence Force militia against FARDC and SADC peacekeepers. President Ramaphosa welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s recent position advocating for an immediate cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of external forces, and resumption of peace talks under the Nairobi Process. He emphasized the importance of respecting the DRC’s territorial integrity in line with the United Nations Charter.

Urging all parties involved in the conflict to embrace diplomatic efforts, he called for honoring the Luanda Process agreements to achieve peace. “We must silence the guns on our continent for the attainment of inclusive development and prosperity,” he said.

On Tuesday, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) issued a statement to clarify misinformation circulating in a video clip. The clip allegedly showed SANDF forces surrendering to M23 rebels, but SANDF stated it depicted a truce to allow M23 to recover their dead and injured. SANDF emphasized its ongoing commitment to its peacekeeping mission under the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and SAMIDRC.

South Africa has played a pivotal role in the DRC’s peacekeeping efforts, with SANDF forces working tirelessly under challenging circumstances to support the mission’s objectives.