Peacekeeping mission under attack

Opposition parties in South Africa have expressed reservations about the possible deployment of South African troops as part of a UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) news reports said on Wednesday. The Democratic Party (DP) has asked the defence department to give the parliamentary joint standing committee on defence a “detailed briefing” on the proposed deployment of troops. DP spokesman on defence Philip Schalkwyk said that it was not clear how medical and logistical support such as accommodation, road and air transport, strategic airlifts and communications would be handled. Meanwhile in a statement on Wednesday, United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa said it was “particularly rash for President Mbeki to hastily commit South African military personnel to a hazardous mission in the DRC even before the dust has settled in the wake of the furore about South African government security organs’ alleged dubious role in the DRC”.