By Johnathan Paoli
The recent deaths of nine SA National Defence Force soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sparked increasing criticism of the preparedness of South African troops and the justification of the country’s involvement.
Joint Standing Committee on Defence co-chair Malusi Gigaba said the committee would schedule an urgent briefing with Defence Minister Angie Motshekga and other top officials on the incident, the status of the mission and resources.
“While the committee acknowledges the gallant resistance by our forces, the loss of nine members of the SANDF is serious and requires investigation to prevent recurrence,” Gigaba said in a statement on Sunday.
“Some of the issues that must be looked into include the combat preparedness, defence intelligence capabilities and specifically the availability of combat support equipment, including air support and ammunition.”
He stressed concerns from the previous Parliament’s defence committee regarding serviceability and readiness for deployment.
Gigaba
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