Presidency explains decision to pull SA troops from UN’s mission in DRC

The Presidency said that the decision to withdraw South African troops from the United Nations (UN)’s mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is influenced by the need to consolidate and realign resources from the country’s defence force.

According to the Presidency, President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated the decision during a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in January.

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South Africa has deployed its soldiers to the UN mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, since 1999.

However, the country has decided to pull out its forces from the DRC.

At the same time, Ramaphosa said bilateral relations with the DRC would be maintained.

The Institute for Security Studies’ Willem Els said that recently, South African troops have had a difficult time being under-resourced.

“In the eastern DRC, where the local public lost their faith in them and lost their trust in them because they believe that they are not fulfilling the mandate to protect them against the rebels.”

He said they also struggled with the mandate that they were given.

“For instance, if you are peacekeeping, then you only shoot in self-protection, only act in self-protection. And they are really limited in what they can do to protect the local community.”

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa has welcomed the appreciation expressed by Guterres.