No additional troops will be deployed to DRC as SANDF faces shortfall

South Africa will not be deploying additional military forces to the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the South African National Defense Force (SANDF).

SANDF Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Siphiwe Lucky Sangweni recently confirmed the decision in parliament in response to a question posed by Economic Freedom Fighters Member of Parliament (MP), Carl Niehaus.

“At this stage, there is no intention to deploy additional soldiers without securing the required budget,” said Sangweni.

SANDF’s R300 million shortfall

The SANDF was granted a R2,1 billion budget by National Treasury for the deployment of 2900 more soldiers to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission to the DRC under Operation Thiba (Op THIBA).

The aforementioned budget and army deployment were approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

However, the financial allocation with a shortfall of R300 million to the assumed budget of R2,4 billion has prevented the troops from offering their services to the DRC.

Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of 2,900 troops

Earlier this year, Ramaphosa ordered the deployment of 2,900 troops to assist in the fight against illegal armed groups in the eastern DRC.

He said the aim was to fulfil South Africa’s international obligation towards the SADC mission to the country.

“The employment will cover the period from 15 December 2023 to 15 December 2024, and it was authorised in accordance with the provisions of Section 201(2)(c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” read a statement by The Presidency in February this year.

“The budgeted expenditure to be incurred for the employment amounts to just over R2 billion.

“This expenditure will not impact provisions for the defence force’s regular maintenance and emergency repairs.

“The obligation to contribute troops to the SADC mission in the DRC is borne by all SADC member states,” noted the statement.

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Sandf soldier killed in DRC explosion

While SANDF would be aiding the DRC, military, intelligence and defence experts questioned the safety of South African troops in the DRC.

Defence expert Helmoed-Römer Heitman said the most “immediate worry is the overstretch of the SANDF” and the likely lack of effective air support.

Furthermore, Heitman questioned the lack of aid from other SADC member countries.

“The planned 5000-strong force was laughably too weak and, now, it will apparently be fewer than 5000.

“How can anyone expect 5000 or fewer troops to achieve what the roughly 15000 that Monusco (United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) could not?

“And I see no real mention of what air support the troops will have – reconnaissance, mobility and combat. The reality is that a force of 15 000 to 20 000, with real air support, would be needed,” Heitman told The Citizen.

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