Latest news with #Maphwanya
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
SANDF says 2nd group of troops still in DRC will return once all combat equipment arrives in Tanzania
JOHANNESBURG - The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said the second group of troops still in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will only return home once all combat equipment has arrived at the assembly point in Tanzania. Chief of the SANDF Rudzani Maphwanya revealed this during the observation of annual United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Day at De Brug Military Base in Bloemfontein on Thursday. ALSO READ: - General Maphwanya: SANDF undeterred and committed to ensure peace prevails in Africa - UN Peacekeeping Day: SANDF honours fallen soldiers killed in DRC - SANDF refutes claims of troops returning from DRC surrendering weapons in Rwanda The first group of soldiers was withdrawn from the war-torn country recently, with the SANDF saying it's conducting a phased withdrawal of all troops. General Maphwanya said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has authorised transportation for peacekeepers to return to their respective countries. Earlier in 2025, the SADC gave an official directive to withdraw all SADC troops and equipment. The decision came after a ceasefire was brokered with M23 and the DRC military during a summit in Tanzania in March. Before talks began, South Africa lost 14 soldiers deployed to the volatile region of Goma, north of Kivu. 'We are working around the clock with the SADC Secretariat to ensure that we get all our people and equipment back from the eastern DRC,' said Maphwanya. 'We are at the critical stage of this withdrawal. The contingent's equipment of all the countries that had contributed troops, and equipment is already at above 65% to the assembly area.' He also added that all the soldiers who died serving did not die in vain. COMMITMENT TO DRC PEACEKEEPING MISSION REAFFIRMED Maphwanya has reaffirmed the national force's commitment to support the UN peacekeeping mission in the eastern DRC. Military, police, and civilian peacekeepers who contributed to fostering peace in war-torn zones were honoured during a wreath-laying ceremony. South Africa has been a part of various UN missions for almost three decades, with its largest contribution in the DRC. 'Achieving peace comes at a high price, with casualties and setbacks, yet in honouring those we have lost, we reaffirm our determination to see peace, security, and stability becoming a reality for nations across our continent and the world,' Maphwanya said.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
SANDF withdrawal from DRC at critical phase, says Maphwanya
The SANDF chief honoured the 14 South African soldiers who lost their lives in the DRC. The Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Rudzani Maphwanya, says the ongoing withdrawal of troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is at a critical stage. The phased withdrawal began on 29 April, following discussions between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). ALSO READ: 'We're in serious trouble': SANDF crisis deepens as leaders clash over its future The process follows a tragic loss of 14 SANDF members during clashes between the DRC military and the M23 rebel group in eastern DRC. The troops' withdrawal is expected to be completed by the end of May. While military personnel will be flown home, the equipment will need to be transported by sea. SANDF chief pays tribute to fallen soldiers Delivering the keynote address during the United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers International Day commemoration in Bloemfontein on Thursday, Maphwanya reflected on the cost of peacekeeping missions. The SANDF chief highlighted that achieving peace comes at a high price, with casualties and setbacks. He noted that more than 4 000 peacekeepers have died while serving under the UN flag. 'Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Peacekeepers play a vital role in conflict zones, maintaining ceasefires, protecting vulnerable populations, and supporting the rebuilding of societies ravaged by war,' he said. READ MORE: What is taking so long? Why SANDF troops can't get a lift home Maphwanya honoured the 14 SANDF soldiers who lost their lives in the DRC, saying their 'sacrifice was not in vain'. 'Their toil, their blood, is the tree we see today, a tree bearing the nascent fruits of peace and stability in that nation. 'However, we are not under any illusion that our work is complete. We recognise that we are still a long way from achieving our ultimate goal of lasting peace and stability.' He reaffirmed the SANDF's commitment to peacekeeping efforts, stating that South Africa remains ready to support future missions in the DRC. 'SADC, along with other international entities, will continue to seek peaceful resolutions in the Central African nation.' SANDF withdrawal from DRC progressing Maphwanya also made it clear that the SANDF's departure should not be seen as abandoning the people of the DRC. 'As directed by our government, we remain prepared to support future peacekeeping missions in the DRC and elsewhere, whenever and wherever our expertise and dedication are required.' He further highlighted the logistical complexity of the withdrawal process. 'We are working around the clock with the SADC secretariat to ensure that we get all our people and equipment back from the eastern DRC. We are at a critical stage of the withdrawal of the contingent's equipment.' READ MORE: Concerns raised about 'disorganised' withdrawal of SA troops from DRC In addition, Maphwanya reiterated that the SANDF's objective remains to foster peace and stability through mediation and political engagement. 'War and peace are not opposites, but rather two sides of the same coin. While war is a brutal and destructive force, the pursuit of peace is a fundamental human desire that unites us all.' At least 2 500 SANDF troops were deployed in December 2023 as part of the SAMIDRC mission, replacing the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (Monusco) in eastern parts of the country. Watch the commemoration event below:
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'We will remember them': SANDF pays tribute to fallen soldiers
The chief of the SANDF, Gen Rudzani Maphwanya, says the force is now at a critical phase of withdrawal from the Sadc Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), where South African troops have been deployed to support peace efforts. 'The contingent equipment of all the countries that had contributed troops and equipment is already at above 65% to the assembly area,' he said. The SANDF observed the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on Thursday to honour the professionalism, dedication and sacrifice of UN peacekeepers — past and present — who have served in the pursuit of peace. Maphwanya paid tribute to the 14 SANDF members who lost their lives while serving in the DRC, describing them as 'heroes whose blood nurtured the roots of peace'. 'Their wounds are still fresh. They were fighting for the Congolese people's right to a peaceful and stable existence. I say with unwavering conviction that their sacrifice was not in vain. 'Their toil, their blood, is the tree we see today, a tree bearing the nascent fruits of peace and stability in that nation. However, we are not under any illusion that our work is complete. We recognise that we are still a long way from achieving our ultimate goal of lasting peace and stability.' he said.
Eyewitness News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
General Maphwanya: SANDF undeterred and committed to ensure peace prevails in Africa
JOHANNESBURG - The chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) , General Rudzani Maphwanya, has reaffirmed the defence force's commitment to ensure peace and stability in war-ridden regions. He addressed the annual global commemoration of the International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers in De Brug Army Base in Bloemfontein on Thursday. Soldiers who died in various peacekeeping missions were honoured during a wreath-laying ceremony, with the most recent being the 14 soldiers who died in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). READ: SANDF to honour 14 soldiers who died in DRC on UN Peacekeeping Day General Maphwanya said their commitment to the mission would not be forgotten. " We extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and comrades of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Their courage and selfless commitment to peace remain an inspiration. As the chief of the South African National Defence Force and the entire members of the National Defence Force, we remain undeterred and committed to working with like-minded forces to ensure peace prevails in our continent."
Arab News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
South Africa exit from DRC to be completed this month
JOHANNESBURG: South African troops withdrawing from the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have begun assembling in Tanzania and most should return home this month, the defense chief said on Sunday. Under the phased withdrawal that started on April 29, the troops are to exit the DRC via Rwanda by road before entering Tanzania, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya said. From there they will return to South Africa by sea and air by the end of May, he said. The soldiers are part of a regional Southern African Development Community force that deployed to the eastern DRC in December 2023 during a resurgence of the M23 armed movement. The M23 now controls swaths of territory in the mineral-rich region. Thirteen trucks with 57 members of the SADC peacekeeping force had already gathered at an assembly point in Tanzania, Maphwanya told reporters. The next group was scheduled for withdrawal next week, he said. 'The movement from Tanzania to (South Africa) will be by air for personnel and by sea for cargo,' he said. SADC decided to end its SAMIDRC mission in mid-March after 17 of its soldiers — most of them South Africans — were killed in M23 offensives in January. They have been stranded there since. The grouping confirmed last week the start of the withdrawal but gave no details. On April 30, a separate evacuation began of hundreds of DRC soldiers and police trapped for months in United Nations bases in Goma after the eastern DRC city was taken by M23 rebels, the International Committee of the Red Cross said. SADC defense chiefs had informed the M23 they would 'withdraw ... personnel and equipment unconditionally,' Maphwanya said. No SADC equipment would remain. 'SADC is not leaving even a pin in eastern DRC,' he added. Officials do not comment on the size of the SAMIDRC deployment but the bulk of the troops come from South Africa, which is estimated to have sent at least 1,300 soldiers. There are also South Africans in the DRC under a separate UN peacekeeping mission. Calls for evacuation began mounting in South Africa after 14 of the country's soldiers were killed in the region in January. Three Malawian troops in the SADC deployment were also killed, while Tanzania said two of its soldiers died in clashes. The evacuation from the DRC was not a sign of weakness or the abandonment of people caught up in the fighting, Maphwanya said. 'Our withdrawal is a technical move that allows peace and mediation to continue.'
