Search
  1. Home
  2. Africa
  3. DRC

SA military team returns from DRC

    JOHANNESBURG

    A South African military reconnaissance team returned this week from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to present
    its recommendations on South African logistical support for a planned UN peacekeeping operation.

    A spokesman for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) told IRIN on Wednesday the team would present their report to the government's Defence Council and to Parliament. "Only once they have presented their findings and recommendations to parliament will a decision be taken on our (SANDF) role
    in the DRC," he said.

    The eight-member tactical team was made up of senior logisticians, technical, air force and personnel officers. President Thabo Mbeki said in parliament last month that South Africa's role in a UN mission to the DRC would be limited to logistics and headquarters functions, and would not include ground troops.

    Recently the Director General of Foreign Affairs, Sipho Pityana, said that South Africa had been requested to prepare for the "speedy" deployment of SANDF technical staff.

    Meanwhile, news reports said on Wednesday that Swaziland was preparing to send an estimated 800 soldiers to the DRC. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Albert Shabangu was quoted as saying that Swaziland would go the DRC as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join