Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga’s withdrawal of the SANDF from the UN MONUSCO mission in the DRC was not a moment too soon. The bitter reality is that our defence force currently suffers from a dangerous combination of strategic overreach and systemic decay. To continue on this path would have been reckless.
The previous SAMIDRC deployment to eastern DRC exposed serious failures in combat readiness. Our troops operated without adequate force protection, air support, logistics and medical evacuation capability. The widely reported white-flag incident became a humiliating symbol of political miscalculation and systemic neglect. South African soldiers were placed in harm’s way without the backing they deserved. The DRC must never be allowed to become a monument to South Africa’s failed commitments, written in the lives of its soldiers and the erosion of its own security.
Deploying our brave men and women while being under-equipped, under-resourced in a high-threat environment, is not merely poor strategy, it is an abdication of the fundamental duty of care a nation owes to those who serve in its name. This is the ultimate hypocrisy, demanding the ultimate sacrifice while refusing to provide the fundamental means of survival.
Years of shrinking budgets, ageing equipment and collapsing maintenance have hollowed out combat capability. The SANDF cannot project strength abroad while struggling to sustain basic readiness at home.
This withdrawal must be a turning point. The focus now must be clear: rebuild capacity and restore critical capabilities. That translate into protected mobility, reliable airlift and surveillance, functioning logistics, and properly equipped personnel. Without urgent recovery, South Africa risks becoming irrelevant in regional security and unable to defend its own interests. Our troops deserve more than our thanks; they deserve the tools to survive and achieve mission success.
Parliament must receive full, transparent briefings on the withdrawal and a credible plan to fix the defence force. The DA will insist on accountability and real reform of the SANDF.