By Thapelo Molefe
Despite the loss of 13 South African soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa has stood firmly behind the country’s military deployment, emphasising that South Africa’s presence is a mission of peace, not war.
“South Africa’s military presence in the eastern DRC is not a declaration of war against any country or state,” Ramaphosa said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Our forces are there to bring peace and protect thousands of lives that are constantly threatened by the conflict in the DRC. We must silence the guns on our continent for the attainment of inclusive development and prosperity.”
There have been growing calls from South Africans to withdraw the troops from the DRC. Until Wednesday, the president had not said anything in public on the deaths.
The Democratic Alliance accused Ramaphosa of being silent because he did not care.
“The situation in the
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