South African expert defends the country's military presence in the DRC, highlighting its role in regional peacekeeping efforts and national interests. The defense comes amidst escalating tensions with Rwanda, which criticized South Africa's involvement and accused the country of distorting information about phone calls with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
A researcher and international affairs expert has defended South Africa 's decision to deploy soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ), emphasizing the country's role in regional peacekeeping efforts and the protection of national interests. While some have criticized South Africa 's military presence in the DRC , Sipho Mantula, a researcher at the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs, argues that South Africa has valid reasons for its deployment.
His comments come amidst a public clash between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Rwandan President Paul Kagame over the issue. Kagame recently accused the South African government of distorting the truth about phone calls with Ramaphosa concerning the war in the DRC, and issued a warning against South Africa, claiming the country was not in a position to act as a peacemaker or mediator. Mantula acknowledges the unfortunate confrontation between the two presidents but points to pre-existing tensions between South Africa and Rwanda that have simmered for years. He highlights the Rwandan government's accusations against South Africa of harboring individuals considered enemies of Rwanda. Mantula advocates for diplomacy and engagement over social media attacks, expressing hope that an extraordinary SADC summit will provide clarity on how South Africa should navigate the situation in the DRC. He stresses that this is a regional issue concerning the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC), involving efforts to combat armed groups and integrate armed forces within the DRC. Meanwhile, Bantu Holomisa, the deputy minister of defence and military veterans in South Africa, downplayed the severity of the conflict between South Africa and Rwanda, asserting that several phone calls between Ramaphosa and Kagame have stabilized the situation in the DRC. He claims that a recent call between the two presidents led to the cessation of incidents in the region over the past 48 hours
Politics DRC South Africa Rwanda Kagame Ramaphosa SADC Peacekeeping Tensions Military Deployment
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