No, these SANDF soldiers aren’t going to Ukraine or Russia

A viral photo doing the rounds on social media has South Africans wondering if South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers have been deployed to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The short answer is: No.

SANDF deployment

The photo shows a group of SANDF soldiers at OR Tambo International Airport allegedly boarding a “FlySafiar flight to answer Naledi Pandor’s call to stop Russia”.

If they were headed to Russia or Ukraine, they certainly wouldn’t be boarding a FlySafair flight as the airline is only operational in South Africa…

While the user shared the image as a joke, many South Africans believed it to be true.

Pandor’s statement

Pandor, the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, on Thursday issued a statement demanding that Russia withdraw from Ukraine. That part is true.

“South Africa calls on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine in line with the United Nations Charter, which enjoins all member states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice are not endangered”, Pandor said.

She said armed conflict will result in human suffering and destruction, “the effects of which will not only affect Ukraine but also reverberate across the world”.

SANDF not going to Russia

Darren Olivier, Director at African Defence Review, confirmed the soldiers are not heeding Pandor’s call.

The photo shows a rotation for the RSABATT (Republic of South Africa Battalion) component of MONUSCO’s force intervention brigade (FIB) boarding a civilian airliner.

The photo was taken in December 2021 when SANDF personnel went to Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

New OR Tambo contract

Oliver said “these rotations have flown to and from OR Tambo since 2020”. Prior to that, the SANDF personnel would travel via Bloemfontein’s Bram Fisher Airport on an UN-approved carrier.

At the time, Brigadier General Andries Mahapa – Director: Defence Corporate Communication (DCC) at Defence Headquarters – confirmed this arrangement:

“The SANDF confirms the whole 21 SA Infantry Battalion rotation to DRC will be carried through OR Tambo Airport since the Mango Airline contract expired in 2020 and the SANDF is not in a position to discuss the legality of that contract”.