By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Nine South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members have been killed in Eastern DRC while repelling an M23 advance, the defence department said on Saturday.
The department said in a statement that after two days of fierce fighting with the M23 rebel group, the South African contingent and its counterparts were able to halt the advancement of the rebel group towards Goma, the provincial capital of the eastern DRC.
“The M23 hostile forces had launched a full-scale attack on our troops with the intention of taking over Goma but were unable to advance due to the heroic resistance put up by our gallant fighters,” the statement read.
It is understood that SANDF soldiers serving with the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) have been caught up in fierce fighting with M23 rebels, who have attacked Sake (less than 30 km from Goma) and are threatening the provincial capital home to two million people. The United Nations said 400 000 people have been displaced by the recent surge in fighting, which has seen the M23 seize several smaller town in North Kivu province. Earlier in the week, they captured Minova, a strategically important port on the shores of Lake Kivu, and also the towns of Katale and Masisi, west of Goma.
United Nations peacekeeping soldiers with the MONUSCO mission have also stepped in to assist DRC government forces and SAMIDRC, losing at least five of their own soldiers.
Last year, six South African soldiers died in combat in the DRC.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) and South African National Defence Union (Sandu) expressed their condolences to the families of the SANDF members who died, adding that at least 18 South African soldiers were wounded in the ongoing battles with M23 rebels in their new offensive which coincided with the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
“The lack of communication forthcoming from the SANDF about the situation in the DRC is of serious concern,” according to Democratic Alliance (DA) defence and military veterans spokesman Chris Hattingh. “South Africans must rely on DRC sources to be informed of casualties.”
He said the “embarrassing silence” comes in the wake of the public assurances by the Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, that the SANDF is ready and prepared for any threat.
“The South African casualties come after repeated concerns of the DA about the preparedness of the SANDF after years of throttled budgets which resulted in cutbacks in training, failure to modernize equipment, reduced serviceability of equipment, including main battle equipment and the withdrawal of SA air support.”
Congo, the U.N. and others accuse neighbouring Rwanda of fuelling the conflict with its own troops and weapons. Rwanda denies this, but the surge in fighting has prompted renewed calls for it disengage.
“Rwanda must cease its support for the M23 and withdraw,” the European Union said in a statement on Saturday.
The M23 briefly managed to take over Goma during a previous rebellion in 2012, prompting international donors to cut aid to Rwanda. Even then, the rebels did not hold as much ground as they do now.
The insecurity has also deepened eastern provinces’ already dire humanitarian situation with 400,000 more people forced to flee their homes this year alone, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
“The situation facing Goma’s civilians is becoming increasingly perilous and the humanitarian needs are enormous,” Human Rights Watch said on Saturday.