In a tragic escalation of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), nine members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) were killed and several other soldiers injured while serving in Sake on a mission aimed at restoring stability and peace in the eastern region.
The soldiers are part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC.
The SANDF said that after two days of fierce fighting with the M23 rebel group in the eastern DRC, the South African contingent and its counterparts were able to halt the advancement of the rebel group towards the provincial capital, Goma.
Department spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini stated that the M23 hostile forces had launched a full-scale attack on our troops intending to take over Goma but were unable to advance due to the “heroic” resistance from the SA soldiers.
He noted that the forces were not only able to halt the M23 advancement, but were also able to push them back.
“In the course of this gallant resistance against M23 rebels, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) lost nine members by Friday, 24 January 2025, after two days of fierce fighting,” he said.
According to Dlamini, seven of the deceased members were part of the SA contingent deployed in the eastern DRC in December 2023 as part of the 16-member regional bloc SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC), while two members were from MONUSCO.
“The number of injured is still to be confirmed; however, a few suffered various degrees of injuries,” he said, adding that the members put up a brave fight to prevent the rebels from proceeding to Goma.
Dlamini mentioned that the process of informing families of the deceased members is currently under way.
Defence Minister Motshekga, the Deputy Ministers of Defence and Military Veterans, Maj Gen (ret) Bantu Holomisa and Richard Hlophe, together with the acting secretary for Defence, Thobekile Gamede, and the chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya, sent their condolences to the families of the deceased and the entire defence family.
In February last year, two soldiers died and three others were injured when a mortar bomb landed inside one of the SA Contingent military bases.
Earlier, the South African National Defence Union (SANDU), political parties RISE Msanzi, and the Democratic Alliance (DA), extended condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the three deceased soldiers who were killed on Thursday.
SANDU said many of the soldiers in question are members of the union.
“Their sacrifice, along with the injuries sustained by at least 14 other SANDF members during ongoing battles in the region, is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those working to uphold peace and stability.”
SANDU said this incident raises critical questions including whether President Cyril Ramaphosa has been made fully aware of these casualties.
“The lack of communication has become all too common, with SANDF leadership keeping the public and even at times ministers in the dark for far too long,” said the union.
Frustrated over the lack of transparency, Pikkie Greef, the national SANDU secretary, said soldiers deserve more than silence.
“Their sacrifices and injuries demand immediate acknowledgement and action from our leaders. It is unacceptable for such critical information to be delayed or withheld. We need answers, and we need them now.”
The union called on Ramaphosa to address the nation and provide clarity on the ongoing situation in the DRC.
“The government must prioritize open communication and decisive action to honour the sacrifices of those who risk their lives for our country.”
It emphasised that this crisis highlights the severe risks SA soldiers are facing without sufficient support and resources.
“SANDU has repeatedly warned about the risk of inadequate support and resources while on deployment.”
RISE Mzansi echoed SANDU’s call for information appealing to Motshekga or Ramaphosa to urgently brief the nation on the status of SA’s mission to the DRC.
The party’s leader, Songezo Zibi, said SA soldiers are facing an impossible task due to being under-funded, under-resourced, and mismanaged and as a result being sent “to their deaths” while the United Nations has described the situation in the DRC as “deteriorating”.
He said it has also been reported that defence forces from other countries are reluctant to commit further resources to the ongoing mission, forcing the SANDF to carry the burden of this conflict.
“Sources have informed RISE Mzansi that the SANDF soldiers in the DRC are so deeply under-resourced, to the extent that ammunition is beginning to run out or has already run out.”
Zibi added that the latest Auditor-General’s report was clear in its findings that SA’s armed forces face significant governance and resource constraints, a situation that places fighting personnel at risk.
“South Africans should be outraged that its armed forces are being sent to die unnecessarily in their name. Just last year, at least six soldiers were killed in the DRC, while another four fell victim to illness, murder, and suicide,” he said.
According to DA spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, MP Chris Hattingh , at least 18 SANDF soldiers have been wounded in the ongoing battles with M23 rebels in their new offensive, which coincided with the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
He also raised concern over the lack of communication.
“South Africans must rely on DRC sources to be informed of casualties. 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,” said Hattingh.
He said this incident follows years of throttled budgets which resulted in cutbacks in training, failure to modernise equipment, reduced serviceability of equipment, including main battle equipment, and the withdrawal of SA air support.
“The Democratic Alliance repeats its call for the withdrawal of the SANDF forces from the DRC. The continued deployment of under-trained, under-equipped, and under-supported South African soldiers in an escalating regional conflict cannot be supported,” he said.
Motshekga is set to return from the DRC today, January 25, following a four-day visit to assess the operational conditions and welfare of SA soldiers in the region as well as to strengthen bilateral relations between South Africa and the DRC, in line with the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation.
The Presidency has been approached for comment but has not responded at the time of publication.