Cyril Ramaphosa deploys 2900 SANDF troops to Eastern DRC which will cost R2 billion, Mzansi angry
- President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed almost 3000 SANDF troops to battle the M23 in Eastern DRC
- Ramaphosa announced that the deployment will continue until December and will cost over R2 billion
- South Africans rejected the deployment and accused Ramaphosa of supporting a genocide
Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, education and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.
Source: Getty Images
The South African National Defence Force is deploying troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the deployment will continue until December this year.
President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered that 2900 members of the SANDF be deployed to the region to fight the M23 in eastern DRC. The presidency is expected to spend over R2 billion for the operation.
Ramaphosa deploys SANDF troops in DRC
According to a tweet on the Presidency’s X account, @PresidencyZA, the country is contributing troops to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission to send troops to the region. The presidency further announced that the money budgeted would not disrupt the SANDF’s maintenance and emergency repairs.
eNCA reported that thousands of people from Eastern DRC have fled the region because M23 rebels seized key towns in the region. The rebels are approaching Goma, the capital of North Kivu. The SANDF is expected to work closely with the DRC’s security forces to battle the insurgents. View the tweet here.
Netizens accuse Ramaphosa of supporting genocide
South Africans rejected the president’s move. Some accused the president of supporting an alleged genocide against Eastern DRC people.
Izamarere said:
“Cyril and SA are forgetting that one day, they needed support when faced with apartheid and black cleansing by a very repressive regime. Today, you choose to support the same government of DRC executing a genocide against its people in the east. Your ancestors and history will judge you.”
Habimana christian observed:
“Since you arrived in the DRC, you have been fighting against the M23, which is defending its rights. We have never seen the South African army combatting other rebellions. Meanwhile, DRC has more than 210 rebel movements.”
Wisa added:
“This deployment will be disastrous! There are 300 armed groups in the DRC. It will end in tears.”
Others wanted the army deployed in South Africa and strongly opposed the expenditure.
JobseekersSA remarked:
“Cape Flats, Zama Zamas, and rising crimes in SA need those troops.”
“R2 billion is a lot of money. How are we going to recoup the expenditure? Who will foot the bill?”
Aboo added:
“ANC is looking for money to campaign.”
SANDF deployed to fight crime alongside SAPS
Similarly, Briefly News reported that Cyril Ramaphosa last year deployed 800 soldiers in areas where there is a concentration of illegal miners.
Ramaphosa pointed out that this deployment will assist the police in their fight against the construction mafia and illegal mining syndicates.
South Africans’ eyebrows were raised as they believed that there were better solutions than deploying the military.
Source: Briefly News
