The National Assembly will on Monday hold an urgent debate about the 14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who were killed in Goma in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The death of the soldiers has triggered fury in South Africa, with many political parties calling for the soldiers to return home.
Last week, Defence Minister Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister Bantu Holomisa, General Rudzani Maphwanya, and the rest of the SANDF top leadership appeared in Parliament where they faced tough questions from Members of Parliament. They denied soldiers had run out of ammunition and food.
The MPs were largely unsatisfied by the responses they received about the nature of the soldiers deaths and how they were under siege from M23 rebels, the operational reasons for their deployment and whether they had enough equipment during their mission.
During a portfolio committee meeting on defence, SANDF leaders provided unsatisfactory updates on the situation, including assurances about efforts to bring the soldiers home. They said that all the regional bodies were working behind the scenes to deliver the bodies of the fallen soldiers back home as a matter of urgency.
They also said there was currently a truce between M23 and the Southern African Development Community Mission DRC (SAMIDRC), after three days of intense fighting, which saw the rebel group also suffer heavy casualties. The generals said the priority was currently to repatriate the bodies of the deceased and injured, back to South Africa.
The soldiers have been deployed to DRC as part of both the SAMIDRC and The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).
| The 14 fallen SANDF soldiers’ names are: | |
| Staff Sergeant William Eddie Cola | Staff Sergeant Molahlehi Ishmael Molahlehi |
| Staff Sergeant Shwahlane Theophilus Seepe | Corporal Matome Justice Malesa |
| Corporal Rinae Nemavhulani | Lance Bombardier Itumeleng Macdonald Moreo |
| Lance Corporal Tseke Moffat Molapo | Lance Corporal Metse Stansly Raswiswi |
| Rifleman Sebatane Richard Chokoe | Rifleman Derrick Maluleke |
| Rifleman Tshidiso Andries Mabele | Rifleman Calvin Louis Moagi |
| Rifleman Mokete Joseph Mobe | Private Peter Jacobus Strydom |
In a briefing note issued on Sunday, Parliament said the matter of the soldiers deaths would be debated at 2pm on Monday afternoon.
They said the topic of the debate would be: “The recent casualties incurred by the SANDF in the DRC and their implications for the defence force”.
By Wednesday, MPs will have an opportunity to debate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address at 2pm on Wednesday.
The President’s Sona reply would on Thursday at 2pm.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, between 9am and 1pm, Parliaments Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, will hear a briefing from the Department of Military Veterans on its 2024/25 Quarter 3 expenditure and performance report, while the Motshekga is expected to provide the status of the DMV Verification Panel and provide an update on the status of the South African National Military Veterans Association (SANVMA) and planned Conference.
IOL