A planned confidential meeting of Parliament to discuss the operational deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been delayed due to the unavailability of key officials. The meeting, originally scheduled for February 24th, aimed to address questions raised by MPs regarding the deaths of SANDF soldiers in the DRC three weeks ago. Families and the public are eager for more information about the circumstances surrounding the deployment.
A closed-door meeting of Parliament , where more details were expected to be shared on Friday about the operational deployment of South African National Defence Force ( SANDF ) soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ), has been postponed.
Last week, Members of Parliament (MPs) serving on the joint standing committee on defence were left frustrated by the limited information provided regarding the circumstances surrounding the soldiers' deaths, leading them to request a confidential meeting. At least two political parties have called for a judicial inquiry into the deaths of the SANDF soldiers who died three weeks ago. At last week's committee meeting, SANDF chief, Rudzani Maphwanya, maintained that the soldiers were killed in crossfire and not during active combat. However, MPs sought clarification on whether there was intelligence warning the SANDF about potential harm to their forces and if they possessed adequate resources for their mission. Due to the sensitive nature of the information, these details were anticipated to be disclosed at a private meeting on Friday, outside the parliamentary complex, at the Ysterplaat Air Force Base. However, as a result of the memorial service held on Thursday night, Maphwanya and Defence Minister Angie Motshekga were unable to attend. Responding to the debate on his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the decision to deploy SANDF troops to the DRC since December 2023 was not taken lightly. 'South Africa's role in peacekeeping missions is indeed fundamental to the pursuit of peace, stability and development in our country, in the region and on the continent.' The closed-door meeting has now been rescheduled for February 28th, prolonging the wait for families and the public regarding the circumstances of their deployment in the war-torn region
SANDF DRC Parliament Deployment Postponed
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