South Africa to Deploy 2,900 Troops as Part of SADC Mission in DR Congo

The President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has ordered the deployment of 2,900 members of the South African National Defence Force to assist in the fight against illegal armed groups in the Eastern DRC.

The deployment will cover one year, and it was authorized by the provisions of section 201(2) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

According to South Africa, the budgeted expenditure to be incurred for the mission amounts to just over R2 billion.

The expenditure will not impact provisions for the defense forces’ regular maintenance and emergency repairs.

Other SADC countries that have deployed troops in DR Congo since December 15, 2023, are Tanzania and Malawi.

Last week, SADC forces deployed heavy artillery and specialized combat forces in Sake and Goma to beef up defense against M23 rebels.

The M23 on February 7 and 13 tried several counter-offensives to capture Sake in vain.