South African Members of Parliament (MPs) voiced strong dissatisfaction on Tuesday with General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), following his announcement that the remains of South African soldiers killed in combat in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) would be repatriated on February 5.
The MPs deemed this assertion unrealistic, pointing to logistical and security challenges, including the closure of Goma Airport and the South African army’s rejection of an alternative evacuation route offered by Rwanda.
The remarks were made during a briefing by Defense Minister Angie Motshekga and General Maphwanya before the Joint Committees on Security, Veterans, and Defense. The session focused on the security situation in eastern DRC and the welfare of South African troops deployed in the conflict zone.
When questioned about when the remains of soldiers killed in recent clashes with the M23 rebel group would be returned to South Africa, General Maphwanya confidently asserted, “The bodies will arrive tomorrow, February 5.”
MP Carl Niehaus, however, dismissed this statement, arguing that it was implausible given the current conditions.
“Goma Airport is closed, and our soldiers are surrounded by M23 rebels. How are we supposed to retrieve these bodies? The General says it’ll be done tomorrow—I’ll believe it when I see it,” Niehaus said.
He added that Rwanda had offered South Africa permission to use its airport to facilitate the evacuation, but South African authorities declined the proposal.
“President Kagame extended an offer for us to use Rwanda’s airspace and airport, but we rejected it. Meanwhile, there’s no electricity at the morgue, and the bodies are decomposing. This is a tragedy for the families and the entire nation,” Niehaus lamented.
The MP further described dire conditions for the soldiers stationed in Goma and across eastern DRC, stating that they were encircled by M23 rebels, unable to move, and facing food shortages. He noted that injuries were going untreated and that the morgue’s generator had run out of fuel.
“Over the past six months, 24 of our soldiers have died, including 10 just last year. This deployment was supposed to help stabilize the DRC, but our soldiers were ill-prepared and are now paying the price,” Niehaus stressed.
South African MPs condemned the deployment as reckless and likened it to sending troops on a suicide mission. They demanded the resignation of both Defense Minister Angie Motshekga and General Maphwanya for their failure to manage the crisis and protect the lives of the deployed soldiers.
The parliamentarians argued that the current state of affairs signified a leadership crisis and called for urgent measures to ensure the safe return of soldiers and the dignified repatriation of the deceased.
