Minister Angie Motshekga: Debate on events in DRC

​The Speaker/Chairperson
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Members of Parliament 
Ladies and Gentlemen

Allow me to thank the Speaker for allowing us time and space to debate this very important and yet tragic matter which attracted a lot of public interest regarding our deployed soldiers in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Let us remind ourselves why the South African National Defence Force is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as there has been a lot of debate around this issue. One of the pillars of South Africa’s foreign policy position is to “Contribute to the creation of peace and stability on the Continent and the World”.

This is a foreign policy position that was adopted by the democratic government since 1994.  In support of this policy position, South Africa has participated in more that twenty-three Peace Missions since 1994. In addition, our troops have served in many missions of the United Nations and African Union, inter alia Lesotho, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Sudan’s Darfur, the Comoros and Liberia to name but a few.

House Chair and Honourable members when it comes to the DRC, I need to remind the house that South Africa’s first commander-in-chief Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, very early in our democracy championed peace building and conflict resolution. It is thus no mistake that on board our ship, the SAS Outeniqua, he brought together the leader of the then Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, and leader of the opposing fighting forces, Laurent Kabila. These talks ultimately saw the transition from Zaire to what we today know as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Several other peace initiatives were also underway to seek lasting peace and stability in that country.

We dare not forget the Inter-Congolese Dialogue we hosted at Sun City for many months. In addition, women across the continent, especially those from conflict ridden countries also saw it fit to create a framework of dialogue and share their experiences of war, and the search for peace. Furthermore, less than a fortnight ago, women across the continent gathered in our country to seek peace and security in their troubled countries. Among these women were Congolese, some of whom came from areas where the conflict is raging in their country.

South Africa has therefore been at the forefront to seek peace and stability, together with other nations through multinational organizations such as the United Nations (UN, The African Union (AU and regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC.) 

We have worked tirelessly with the community of nations to bring peace, security and stability in regions bedeviled with conflict.

South Africa is an integral part of the international community, particularly the African continent, we recognize that our own security, prosperity and sustainability and that of the African continent are inextricably connected. Therefore, we understand that our own national interest is intrinsically linked to Africa’s stability, unity and prosperity. Africa is thus at the center of South Africa’s Foreign and Security Policies.

This therefore calls for South Africa to play a role in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, post-conflict reconstruction and development, as well as security sector reforms. This will manifest in South Africa contributing to the UN, AU, and SADC security initiatives as can be witnessed by the SADC led Missions in the DRC and Mozambique, in addition to the many missions we have mentioned before.

In the fulfillment of our international obligations towards the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), South Africa has contributed troops to this mission, in accordance with the decision of SADC Summit in Luanda, Angola on the 17 August 2023. This had been preceded by the SADC Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government in May 2023 and Troop Contribution Countries (TCCs).

Madam Speaker

Let me come back to the incident of two weeks ago where in the early hours of the 23 January 2023, our troops and those of our sister countries Malawi and Tanzania under SAMIDRC, came into confrontation with the M23 rebel movement in the Eastern DRC.

On 24 January 2025 we were woken up to the tragic news that our troops based in Sake, the eastern DRC, came under heavy attack by the M23 rebel group. In the weeks leading to the 23 January 2025, fighting in that region had escalated with the rebel group fiercely engaged with the Congolese Army - FARDC. The intensified fight saw M23 seizing key towns in the province of North Kivu, like Masisi, Ngungu, Bitagata and Minova. All this time the rebels were advancing towards Sake where the SAMIDRC Main Operating Base is located, this led to our own forces being enveloped.

The M23 launched an all-out attack on the SAMIDRC Main Operating Base, where the South African, Malawian the Tanzanian Contingents, together with the MONUSCO and FARDC were co-located. Heavy shelling of the base was experienced and this was followed by ground attack aimed at running off the Operational Base. The M23 attacks were in clear contravention of the Nairobi Peace Process and the ceasefire brokered by the Luanda Peace Process.

The SAMIDRC stood firm in defence of Sake for 3 days with battles lasting up to nine hours of continuous fighting without any pause. SAMIDRC managed to contain the situation and repel the attack. The M23 with some of their elements were seen to be showing signs of withdrawing from the town and had M23 suffered heavy casualties in the ensuing period. 
It is during this time that we took casualties with 9 dead and 12 injured with varying degrees.

A few days later in Goma, the RSA lost an additional 3 members who were caught in a crossfire from a long-range mortar exchanged between the M23 and the Congolese Military, as of the mortars landed in the RSA base collocated in the Goma Airport. Meanwhile, one of the members who has  suffered serious injuries in Sake later succumbed to his injuries.

The last member died from bullet wounds after being shot in Goma, bringing the total number to 14 deceased. We have since released the names of the fallen soldiers after informing their families accordingly. They will be laid to rest with full military honours for the ultimate sacrifices paid. Eight of these members come the Limpopo Province, three from the Free State Province and one each from the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and North West Provinces.  Once again as the ministry and entire defence establishment, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and to their comrades-in-arms in the SANDF.

Madam Speaker

I stand before you with a heavy heart following the loss of these 14 members. The members’ sacrifice in the line of duty is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by our young men and women in peacekeeping missions, as they strive to bring peace and stability in the eastern part of the DRC. The circumstances leading to this tragic event are complex and multifaceted. 

Our soldiers are deployed to the eastern part of the DRC, in North Kivu province, a place that has been plagued by violence and instability for many years. The primary threat in this region comes from the M23, a well-armed and organized militia that has been responsible for numerous attacks on both civilian and military targets.

However, the presence of many other armed groups in the eastern DRC, vying for control over its rich natural resources has led to widespread violence, displacement of civilians and humanitarian crises of immense proportion. The SANDF is therefore in the DRC as part of MONUSCO on the one hand, and on the other, SAMIDRC, working towards the creation of peace and stability.

We will work closely with the SADC and the African Union on the achievement of peace and stability on the continent, and particularly the DRC, where we will seek to ensure that all steps that the recent summit decided are paramount and are adhered to. That the ceasefire and the creation of a climate conducive for the peace to hold, create and enable negotiations to get underway in earnest.

As I conclude, I wish to state that we shall take the country into confidence about the details regarding the repatriation of the remains of our fallen soldiers.

I thank you.