South Africa ups the ante in DRC conflict

South Africa is upping the ante in the ever escalating armed conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo where millions of people have been displaced while thousands others have died.

Sources say President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government is delivering more weapons and ammunitions to eastern DRC, in preparation for a heavy offensive against M23 rebels. Troops from the South Africa led Southern African Development Community mission in DRC, SAMIDRC, want to launch a big attack.

“South Africa continues to transfer ammunitions to Goma. On April 18, about 22 tons of ammunitions were transferred from Upington, South Africa, to Goma, eastern DRC. Pretoria aims to reinforce SANDF troops deployed under SAMIDRC,” said a source.

South Africa had already delivered the same amount of ammunitions on April 14 and April 16, making the total of 66 tons in that week. SAMIDRC was deployed in December 2023, to support the Congolese army coalition in fighting M23 rebels. The bloc’s mission is fighting alongside Burundian troops, European and American mercenaries, Wazalendo militia groups, Congolese national army, and FDLR, a terrorist group formed by the remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Before SADC forces were deployed, there were warnings that only a political solution can solve the insecurity in eastern DRC, as history proved that military approaches failed. But Southern African leaders turned a deaf ear to appease Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who had already forced the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) out of his country, despite the progress it made.

"I leave Rwanda with renewed vigor and intention that we should find a solution - a political solution - to what is prevailing [in this region]," Ramaphosa told the media on April 7, following his two-day visit in Kigali, where he held a meeting with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.

With South Africa delivering more ammunitions to reinforce SAMIDRC, it is safe to say that Ramaphosa’s declaration in Kigali was only a political game. His army is preparing for a heavy offensive against M23.

Sources have revealed that, there is a lucrative deal between Ramaphosa and Tshisekedi, for South Africa to deploy its troops and heavy artillery first of all to liberate the mineral rich area of Rubaya in Masisi territory, North Kivu, after which "Ramaphosa would begin paying himself back with transfer of minerals through his businesses in DRC."

The SADC troops deployment to DRC is masked by both political and business interests. Although the political interests may be shared across SADC countries, the business interests are mainly between Ramaphosa and Tshisekedi.

The deteriorating armed conflict in eastern DRC resumed in late 2021, when M23 rebels retook arms after a decade of dormancy. It is not clear how long the conflict might last, considering the wider interests and the continously unattended to root causes of the conflict.