Minister Ronald Lamola Picture. Facebook/Dirco
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has met with his Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) counterpart to address the escalating hostilities between the DRC and Rwanda, which have also caused a diplomatic spat.
Three South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers were killed on Monday in a mortar bomb attack near the Goma airport, while nine others died in combat near Sake last week.
While Lamola warned that escalating hostilities between the DRC and Rwanda could spiral into a full-scale regional war, he said the SA government is pushing for a ceasefire agreement.
“[I] Had a call with Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe (Rwanda’s foreign minister). We committed to advancing dialogue on eastern DRC and agreed to pursue the spirit of the ceasefire agreement as per our heads of state and regional processes of SADC and the East African Community (EAC),” Lamola said in a post on X.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Cabinet lekgotla in Pretoria on Thursday, Lamola expressed deep concern over the conflict and cautioned of the risk of a full-blown regional conflict.
His comments came after the war of words between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the confirmed deaths of 13 due to intensified clashes involving M23 rebels and Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) militia against the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC).
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Lamola called for urgent AU, SADC and the East African Community intervention.
“It is for that reason that all institutions of the AU and SADC, including the East Africa Community, have made resolutions of a tripartite engagement.
“As we speak, already there are forces coming from various groups and angles, so you do need an intervention that is at AU, SADC and East Africa level and not only to reach a process of ceasefire but also of long-term solutions,” Lamola said.
Lamola explained that South African soldiers are peacekeeping forces deployed under the United Nations Security Council and SADC resolutions, making any attacks on them a potential “war crime.”
“That’s why the UN Security Council has issued this stern warning to all the warring parties, factions fighting in the Eastern DRC to cease hostilities against ordinary civilians in the Eastern DRC.”
The SANDF is involved in the conflict as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).
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