SA National Defence Union Says Troops Not Adequately Equipped for Combat, Mzansi Not Surprised

• The South African National Defence Union (SANDU) has claimed that the South African Defence Force is under-resourced
• The union's comments come after nine soldiers were killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
• South Africans questioned whether the troops would be ready for combat even with the right equipment and resources

The death of nine South African Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers has raised questions about whether troops were adequately prepared.

The soldiers were killed during two days of clashes with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by Friday, 24 January 2025. Rebels were attempting to gain control of Goma, the capital city of eastern DRC.

Union questions SANDF’s readiness for conflict

The South African National Defence Union (SANDU) reflected on the tragic deaths of the soldiers, questioning how ready troops were for conflict. SANDU stated that while troops were well trained, they were under-resourced in terms of logistics, force and equipment to be able to carry out the mission.

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"Unfortunately, up to this stage, they have not entirely had this support," SANDU's national secretary Pikkie Greeff said.

Greeff added that defence analysts and experts were clear about their concerns from the time troops were deployed to the region in February 2024. SANDF was deployed to the DRC as part of a Southern African Development Community Mission in the country. Some troops were also deployed as part of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission.

Rebels gain control of Goma

Despite the best efforts of the SANDF to push back rebel fighters by 24 January, the M23 fighters have since turned the tide. The rebels, who are reportedly backed by Rwandan forces, gained control of the city over the weekend, which led to thousands fleeing the area. Some social media accounts have since celebrated the success of the rebels, saying that residents welcomed the soldiers’ presence.

Social media weighs in on SANDU’s claims

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South Africans were not surprised by the union’s claims, with many venting about the state of the defence force.

@Gary8035 asked:

“Well trained? Under whose standards?

@sandile07597191 questioned:

“The union only noticed this after the loss or before?”

@Gummibe97561151 stated:

“Well-trained and combat-ready are two very different things.”

@vanWykR9 said:

“This is not our war. They should be at home defending the border. We can't be sending South African men and women to die for a dictatorship in Congo. It’s totally ridiculous.”

@els56730 asked:

“Then why deploy them in the first place?”

2 soldiers killed in DRC conflict

Briefly News previously reported that two SANDF members were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

20 others were also injured during that attack, as a mortar hit the SANDF base on 25 June 2025.

South Africans were upset by the news, with many calling for soldiers to be recalled back home.

Source: Briefly News