Latest news with #SANDF
eNCA
2 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
SANDF troops withdrawal from DRC hits a snag
BLOEMFONTEIN - SADC will not meet their deadline to withdraw SANDF peacekeepers from the DRC by the end of May. This is due to logistical delays withdrawing all heavy equipment from their base near Goma. The SANDF says just over 30 trucks have transported South African Military equipment from Goma to Tanzania. Other heavy equipment will be transported through the Dar es Salaam port to South Africa. The transportation of Tanzanian, South African and Malawian troops will then begin. The Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya, honoured the lives of the 14 soldiers lost recently on UN International Peacekeepers Day. South Africa first provided peacekeepers to the DRC in 1999 under the UN MONUSCO mission. And despite the recent losses in fighting near Goma, the defence force says peacekeeping remains part of their mission.
eNCA
3 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Fallen SANDF soldiers honoured
BLOEMFONTEIN - SADC will not meet their deadline to withdraw SANDF peacekeepers from the DRC by the end of May. This is due to logistical delays withdrawing all heavy equipment from their base near Goma. The Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya, honoured the lives of the 14 soldiers lost recently on UN International Peacekeepers Day.
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DRC - SANDF refutes claims of troops returning from DRC surrendering weapons in Rwanda The first group of soldiers was withdrawn from the war-torn country recently, with the SANDF saying it's conducting a phased withdrawal of all troops.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
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Why South Africa can't defend itself anymore
From a mighty force to near irrelevance, SA's defence capabilities have decayed. The country is now vulnerable, with no real ability to respond to African conflicts. This is a war game scenario which could not exist in South Africa today but, in the mid-'90s, as the country transitioned to democracy, it would have been one of many discussed by officers of the SA Defence Force (SADF), soon to become the SANDF (SA National Defence Force). A force of rebels has taken over the eastern parts of mineral-rich Zaire – now know as the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DRC – has killed civilians and is now laying siege to the town of Kisangani. The government in Kinshasa sends out an urgent appeal for help to Pretoria. Putting boots on the ground would take weeks and would be politically risky, especially if SA troops were to start coming home in body bags. There is an alternative: send in the South African Air Force (SAAF). So a flight of Cheetah D multirole fighters – a version of the French Mirage developed locally with help of the Israelis – is scrambled in the early hours of the morning from the SAAF main base in Waterkloof, Pretoria, loaded up with sophisticated air-toground missiles and cannons. As the sun peeps over the horizon in central Zambia, the Cheetahs link up with their airborne tanker, a converted Boeing 707 airliner also used by the SAAF as an airborne warning and control system. ALSO READ: What is taking so long? Why SANDF troops can't get a lift home Not long after refuelling, the SAAF jets move into their strike profile, hitting rebel units and decimating them, saving the government in Kinshasa. At that time, the SAAF, and the broader SADF, which knew it was about to get new political masters, realised the critical role in peacekeeping and peace enforcement which could be played by South African armed forces, at that time still the strongest and most experienced in Africa. It was a vision which would gel with that of our second president, Thabo Mbeki, who believed this country could be the engine of an 'African Renaissance' and the continent's unbiased referee for internal conflicts. At that time, it was a dream which could well have come true. The SADF and, later, SANDF were well able to deal with any threat on the continent – and even in our territorial waters…. as a SA Navy Daphne-class submarine proved by 'sinking' one of the US Navy's most sophisticated guided-missile destroyers in an exercise off Cape Point. It didn't take long for the incoming government to get cosy with the already corrupt European arms industry, so we sowed up an arms deal which cost us more than R100 billion and equipped us with state-of-the-art systems like Swedish-made Gripen supersonic fighters and German frigates and submarines. ALSO READ: Frustration as Motshekga in Russia while SANDF begins DRC withdrawal These systems, good as they were, required maintenance and updating and the ANC government progressively reduced defence spending to the point where it is today. The Gripen fighters – the handful still flying – are only used for shows, while the subs are often beached in dry dock. Even the most sympathetic analysts would agree that our military would be comparatively easy pickings for a number of African armies and air forces – from Nigeria to Rwanda and even Zambia and Zimbabwe – who actually have newer equipment than we do. And it is operational. Our recent poor showing in the DRC, when our troops were humbled by M23 rebels, shows the extent of the slide. Not only can we not dream about being Africa's peacemaker, we cannot realistically guarantee the sanctity of our soil, airspace or territorial waters. NOW READ: How topless car thieves met their match against SANDF officer in pyjamas and slippers
The Citizen
3 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:
