By Simon Nare
An irate Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa and South African government officials of spreading distortions, lies, and deliberate attacks regarding the escalating situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kagame expressed his rancour in a social media post on X on Wednesday night, warning Pretoria to carefully consider its role in the DRC conflict.
Kagame immediately faced swift backlash from X users in South Africa, with many expressing concerns that his remarks could further inflame tensions in the DRC, rather than fostering a path toward resolution.
In his personal social media post, Kagame confirmed that he had held talks with Ramaphosa following the deaths of 13 South African soldiers in gun battles with DRC rebels M23, allegedly backed by Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) in the eastern town of Goma.
“What has been said about these conversations in the media by South African officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies,” said Kagame, a former military officer who has been the President of Rwanda since 2000.
“If words can change so much from a conversation to a public statement, it says a lot about how these very important issues are being managed.”
He dismissed reports that Ramaphosa had issued him a warning to his government during their discussions, calling them ‘untrue.’
On Wednesday, reports emerged claiming that Ramaphosa had warned Kagame that any attack by Rwandan forces on South African troops deployed on a peacekeeping mission in the DRC would be considered “a declaration of war”.
Kagame, however, said that during their conversation, Ramaphosa confirmed to him that M23 rebels were not responsible for the deaths of the South African soldiers, but rather that they were killed by the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC).
“President Ramaphosa has never given a “warning” of any kind, unless it was delivered in his local language which I do not understand. He did ask for support to ensure the South African force has adequate electricity, food and water, which we shall help communicate,” said Kagame.
What further inflamed Kagame was Ramaphosa’s characterisation of the Rwandan Defence Force as “a militia” group.
Ramaphosa accused the RDF of backing the DRC rebel group M23 in attacks on peacekeeping forces in the country, a claim Kagame strongly rejected.
“The Rwanda Defence Force is an army, not a militia,” Kagame said on X.
“If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good, but South Africa is in no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator. And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day.”
In his statement on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said: “The fighting is the result of an escalation by the rebel group M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) militia engaging the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and attacking peacekeepers from the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).”
The deaths occurred as the M23 rebel group, reportedly backed by Rwanda, escalated attacks in the region, leading to fierce battles near Goma.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops, serving under both the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), were targeted in these assaults.
Kagame said a few clarifications needed to be placed on record in this unfolding conflict.
He labelled the SAMIDRC, which SANDF is part of, as not a peacekeeping force and had no place in the conflict.
He added that the mission was authorised by SADC as a belligerent force engaging on offensive combat operations to help DRC government fight its own people.
He said this force was “working alongside genocidal armed groups like Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, which target Rwanda, while also threatening to take the war to Rwanda itself.”
Earlier this week, International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, called on Rwanda to stop its support for the M23 group and to withdraw its forces from the DRC.
“The unauthorised presence of the Rwanda Defence Forces in eastern DRC violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC,” Lamola said at the 1257th Meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), on Tuesday.
“South Africa strongly condemns the recent activities of the M23 rebel group in North Kivu province, which has now affected Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, and surrounding areas. We would also like to condemn Rwanda for its support of the M23,” said Lamola, citing multiple United Nations reports.
“We therefore call upon Rwanda to cease its support to the M23 and for its forces to withdraw from the DRC. The unauthorised presence of the Rwanda Defence Forces in eastern DRC is in violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.”
As the war of words escalated, Angolan President Joao Lourenco condemned M23 for occupying Goma and called for immediate withdrawal of troops, calling the occupation illegal.
Lourenco, who is the African Union (AU) mediator in the DRC-Rwanda conflict, also urged the resumption of discussions within the Nairobi process and the fulfilment of commitments made in the Luanda process.
Lourenco said the Nairobi Process would create secure conditions for the return of peacekeepers, the resumption of airport operations, and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
He added a ceasefire agreement entered into in August 2024 following negotiations between the DRC and Rwanda mediated by Angola, included commitments to incapacitate the FDLR and to withdraw Rwandan troops from DRC territory.
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