EFF calls for withdrawal of SANDF troops from DRC

JOHANNESBURG - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for the withdrawal of all South African soldiers stationed in the volatile Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

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A contingent of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has been stationed in the DRC on a peacekeeping mission sanctioned by the United Nations.

Thirteen South African soldiers died in the recent escalation of violence in the conflict between the DRC military and the M23 rebel group.

Addressing a plenum in Limpopo on Friday, EFF leader Julius Malema said that South Africa should not allow itself to be used for Western interests.

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He said that at the heart of the bloody dispute in Goma was access to its rich minerals.

"Our children, sons and daughters of the SANDF have been sent to their deaths because the mineral interests of multinational corporations and individuals must be secured. Our soldiers have been sent to be glorified bodyguards of the mines in the DRC and this mission has been disguised as a pursuit of peace and a defence of democracy. Bring our soldiers home."

The city of Goma is rich in minerals, which include cobalt, a hard brittle metal that’s a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and mobile phones.