Incoming deputy minister of defence Bantu Holomisa wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to push for new rules of engagement for South African peacekeeping troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who have suffered heavy casualties in clashes with M23 rebels.
In the latest major clash, two members of the SANDF were killed and 20 wounded in the town of Sake on June 25. Another was killed in an attack in the town on May 30, and in February two were killed and three wounded in a mortar attack on their base.
Defence analysts have said the 2,900 South Africans in the Sadc peacekeeping mission in DRC should be reinforced with more troops and are woefully under-equipped, while the M23 rebels have advanced weapons.
Look at the Central African Republic, you remember we were attacked there heavily and now in [DRC] we are also under attack
Holomisa told the Sunday Times the M23 rebels did not distinguish between peacekeepers and its enemies aligned with the DRC government.
Holomisa said he would, as a priority, ask Ramaphosa to urgently boost the budget for the SANDF units on peacekeeping missions in DRC and elsewhere so they are able to defend themselves. He will also ask Ramaphosa to engage with his Sadc counterparts about changing the rules and regulations for peacekeeping missions.
Holomisa, a retired general, said the rules and the type of weapons SANDF peacekeepers were issued hobbled their ability to be more proactive in defending themselves.
“So that’s why you will find that the SANDF, they go there for peacekeeping purposes, but while they are there they are under attack because the rules and regulations governing peacekeeping are slightly different, to say you are not going to a war. So you have limited equipment. It has to change,” he said.
“Look at the Central African Republic, you remember we were attacked there heavily and now in [DRC] we are also under attack. The president will have to talk to his colleagues of Sadc and also DRC and say, ‘Guys, we talk of peacekeeping but for a peacekeeping [mission] there must be some movement at political level.’”
In 2013, 13 members of a SANDF unit in the CAR capital of Bangui were killed by Seleka rebels.
Holomisa said it appeared that there had been no attempt by the warring sides in such countries as DRC to agree on the status of peacekeeping missions.
Former president Thabo Mbeki said in December last year, when the SANDF peacekeepers were sent to DRC, that the protagonists in the conflict should observe a truce while efforts were made to find a political solution.
Asked about this, Holomisa said: “Yes, because we don’t hear any talks between the conflicting groups at political level. Now when you send troops there the rebels don’t care, they are under instructions to take over that territory.
“Whereas at political level you talk of a ceasefire, how are we going to enforce this ceasefire? Then you say we will have a buffer zone, which will be patrolled by these forces, but now it’s like we are the troops, we are soldiers of DRC, we are under attack now.
“The neighbouring country which houses these rebels doesn’t care about us. They take us as if we are part of them, that we are defending the other side, for whatever reason.”
The M23 rebels issued a statement at the end of May accusing the Sadc peacekeeping mission of siding with “Kinshasa regime coalition forces”.
Holomisa said there was a need to “replenish” the South African troops in DRC as it appeared they were the only remaining peacekeeping forces in the area. Tanzania and Malawi are also part of the Sadc mission, which is supposed to number 5,000 troops.
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