By Simon Nare
South African political parties have welcomed the announcement that troops serving in the Southern African Development Community peacekeeping mission in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo will return home.
An extraordinary summit of heads of state of SADC has terminated its mission in DRC (SAMIDRC) and instructed the beginning of the withdrawal of its troops which includes South African, Malawian and Tanzanian soldiers.
The meeting, which was attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa, took the decision following escalation of the conflict and the rebel group M23 capturing Goma and Bukavu, which led to the deterioration of security in the eastern DRC.
The leaders noted in a communiqué following the meeting that the capturing of two cities led to the blockage of the main supply routes, making it difficult for humanitarian aid to flow.
“Summit reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to continue supporting the DRC in its pursuit of safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as sustainable peace, security and development.
“Summit reiterated the need for a political and diplomatic solution with all parties including state, non-state parties, military and non-military in the eastern DRC for the restoration of peace, security and tranquillity in the country,” it said.
It added that the withdrawal of the troops would be done in phases, but the details were not provided.
The Economic Freedom Fighters welcomed the decision to withdraw the troops, saying the move was long overdue and confirmed its consistent view that the SA National Defence Force was ill-equipped for the deployment and the mission was unsustainable.
The red berets said SAMIDRC failed to achieve its objectives and after the capture of the two cities by the M23 rebels with the backing of Rwanda, rather than stabilising the region, the mission found itself increasingly in a vulnerable position and unable to counter the growing influence of the rebels.
“The EFF remains committed to our position that South Africa should only participate in peacekeeping missions where there is a clear strategic objective, proper logistical planning and adequate resources to support our soldiers.
“We call on SADC, EAC and the African Union to intensify diplomatic efforts and hold all parties accountable, ensuring that the people of the DRC can finally see an end to this decades-long conflict,” the party said in a statement.
The DA, in welcoming the withdrawal, cautioned against the way the process would unfold and warned that combat equipment should not fall into the hands of the rebels.
The party said in a statement that the withdrawal must be executed carefully since the rebels has exhibited their dominance in the region and showcased their power to the entire world.
“The SADC’s acknowledgment of this reality and the subsequent decision to end the mission is a necessary step, but it raises urgent questions about the effectiveness of the mission itself,” it said in a statement.
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