South African lawmaker Carl Niehaus on Tuesday, February 4, criticised the Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, for failing to attend parliamentary sessions for an entire year despite being repeatedly summoned. The parliamentary summons were aimed at explaining the army's involvement in DR Congo but Maphwanya did not avail himself until the army lost 14 of its soldiers in a battle with the AFC/M23 rebel alliance. Niehaus made the comments during the appearance of South African Defence Minister Angie Motshekga, and Maphwanya, in Parliament where they appeared over the situation in DR Congo and the safety of their troops. Lawmakers accused the duo of sending south African soldiers to die in DR Congo for selfish interests. The South Africa-led SADC mission in DR Congo suffered losses in the past two weeks, with 14 South African soldiers killed as M23 rebels advanced toward the strategic city of Goma before capturing it on January 27. ALSO READ: Corneille Nangaa on M23 capture of Goma, FDLR and march to Kinshasa Referring to legacy reports given to the SANDF Chief, his predecessors, and various ministers since 2015, Niehaus emphasised that the SANDF is not in position to carry out an offensive mandate in Africa yet, when the SANDF chief was called to explain, he didn’t turn up. ALSO READ: Who are the M23 rebels in DR Congo? “He never dignified us with his presence. It had to take 14 of our SANDF soldiers to die for him to come here,” Niehaus said. Reports indicate that up to 14 South African soldiers have been killed in DR Congo’s North Kivu Province while battling AFC/M23 rebels who captured the strategic city of Goma on January 27. “Why are you, minister, and why is the president lying to us about the nature of the operation that we have in the DRC? It is not a peacekeeping mission; it is an offensive mission and it is defined as such by the SADC,” he added. ‘Why do you disrespect the South African nation?’ Niehaus accused the SANDF Chief and the defence minister of knowing that South African soldiers would face gunfire and possibly death in DR Congo. He criticised the lack of transparency and the inadequate explanations provided by the two officials. He asked: “Why do you disrespect us and why do you disrespect the South African nation with this pitiful little report that contains hardly any information, that doesn't address the issues that needed to be addressed here this afternoon?” ALSO READ: Thabo Mbeki: Implementing Sun City Agreement, disarming FDLR only way to solve DR Congo crisis On January 29, President Cyril Ramaphosa referred to the SADC Mission in the DR Congo (SAMIDRC) as peacekeepers, a claim that President Paul Kagame debunked. “SAMIDRC is not a peacekeeping force, and it has no place in this situation. It was authorized by SADC as a belligerent force engaging in offensive combat operations to help the DR Congo government fight against its own people, working alongside genocidal armed groups like FDLR which target Rwanda, while also threatening to take the war to Rwanda itself,” Kagame said. ALSO READ: Belgian lawyer on why genocide ideology doesn’t dissolve three decades after dispersion of genocidaires South African lawmakers also quizzed their defence minister and defence chief over their military’s association with FDLR, a militia formed by remnants of the masterminds of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, in eastern DR Congo. WATCH: South African MP Virgill Gericke questions Defence Minister Angie Motshekga on whether #SANDF soldiers in DR #Congo are collaborating with the genocidal #FDLR to protect mines owned by wealthy politicians. pic.twitter.com/bumFopc5NB — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) February 4, 2025 ALSO READ: UN report exposes DR Congo’s continued use of FDLR as proxy South Africa has over 1,500 troops in DR Congo fighting alongside the Congolese army (FARDC) coalition that also comprises Burundian forces, and militia groups such as the genocidal forces, and Congolese Wazalendo militia, all against AFC/M23 rebels. ALSO READ: Kagame: Support for FDLR, collabo with mercenaries can’t be business as usual MP Mabel Rweqana said that they are made to believe that South African troops are in DR Congo for a peacekeeping mission, yet they died while engaging the enemy. WATCH: South African Members of Parliament questioned the SANDF's mission in the DR Congo during the Defence Committee briefing on Tuesday, February 4. Why is the president lying to us? It is not a peacekeeping mission; it is an offensive mission. pic.twitter.com/nejepiO2ZK — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) February 4, 2025 Following the fall of Goma, Corneille Nangaa, the AFC/M23 political leader, said the rebel alliance plans to march to the country’s capital, Kinshasa, as they look to confront “poor governance and a failed state.” ALSO READ: SADC’s betrayal: Fighting alongside FDLR and mercenaries In an interview with CNN, on February 3, President Kagame said that the situation in eastern DR Congo, where the FDLR works alongside the Congolese army (FARDC) and other armed groups, cannot be treated as business as usual. Kagame said: “They cannot have FDLR in Congo, being armed, being supported by the government of DRC, supported by mercenaries, supported by an army from Burundi, then business continues as usual.” On Monday, Rwanda's government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, said: “South Africans deserve to know the truth. You are not supporting the people of DRC to achieve peace. You are sending your troops to fight President Tshisekedi’s war to kill his own people.” Following a statement by the South African presidency, on February 3, that mourned the deaths of 14 SANDF soldiers killed in eastern DR Congo, Makolo accused South Africa of exploiting DR Congo’s mineral wealth, suggesting that its military presence is driven by business interests rather than humanitarian concerns. “Please tell your people the truth about the personal interests in mining that you have” in DR Congo, she said, adding that “these are the interests for which, sadly, SANDF soldiers are dying.”
