The first contingent of South African troops arrived in the east of the Democratic of Congo (DRC), in late December 2023, as part of the deployment of military forces by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to fight M23 rebels.

The military force included commando assault units, artillery men, logistics personnel and airmen.

Prior to their deployment, South Africa had claimed that SADC troops would not be sent to DRC due to failure of payment from Kinshasa. But soon after, the troops were seen landing in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province.

What prompted the change of heart from South Africa?

Right after their deployment, the South African National Defence Force’s first mission was to fight off the M23 rebels from their captured territory in Sake, some 25 kilometers north-west of Goma, and precisely attempting to take control of Rubaya mine in Masisi, North Kivu.

The Rubaya mines are a series of coltan mining sites near the town of Rubaya in Masisi Territory where tonnes of the strategic mineral have been, for years, extracted and exported.

The SANDF’s mission in Rubaya was clear, from the very start. The South African army is protecting their country’s interests, disregarding the plight of the Congolese people who are suffering.

According to a source from Pretoria, South African Mining Development Association (MIASA) is looking to have access to the mining hub, prompting the South African troops to viciously fight off the M23 rebels, with the resultant civilian casualties, for the sake of securing the mines.

For South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, there is a personal catch in securing Rubaya.

Ramaphosa's special envoy to the Great Lakes, Jeff Radebe, is married to Brigitte Motsepe, the President of MIASA, and the sister of the South African first lady. Radebe's brother-in-law Patrice Motsepe, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, is one of Africa's billionaires in mining.

Ramaphosa’s fight against the M23 rebels is simply for personal gains. By fighting off the rebels, he is killing two birds with one stone; pleasing his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi, while his family gains full access to the Rubaya mines in DRC.

South Africa’s crippling power crisis a factor in eastern DRC equation

Beyond eyeing the mining sector, Ramaphosa deployed the troops, after Tshisekedi threatened to frustrate the Inga dam project, a series of seven proposed hydroelectric power stations at the site of the Inga Falls, to which South Africa stands to benefit from.

Since 2022, South Africa has had persisting power challenges due to its ailing electricity infrastructure.

That problem could be solved by DRC. In 2013, both countries signed a treaty where South Africa committed to purchasing 2,500 megawatts from the dam, known as Inga 3.

Both countries pledged to revive DRC’s giant Inga 3 hydroelectric project that South Africa hopes will help solve its power crisis.

 "We have now recommitted ourselves to revive the Grand Inga project," Ramaphosa said at a joint press conference in Kinshasa, in July 2023, noting that the project had been "lying dead."

Knowing where and how to hurt Pretoria, Kinshasa threatened to pull the plug if Ramaphosa did not deploy troops to eastern DRC. The South African leader panicked. His country has been interested in Grand Inga’s power generating potential since the late 1990s, with its policy plan assuming it could import 2,500 MW from Inga by 2030.

 

With that in mind, therefore, sources say, Ramaphosa’s hand was forced and, as such, the M23 rebels’ cause is the least of Ramaphosa’s worries. He is eyeing way bigger business and economic interests.

 

When the Southern African Development Community (SADC) allowed the deployment of a Mission to the DRC (SAMIDRC), it was to purportedly assist the Congolese government in restoring peace and security in the eastern part of the country.

 

However, as days go by, the security situation is only getting worse because countries are there for their own business or economic interests and not to help the suffering Congolese people at all.

 

South Africa is only helping Kinshasa to break the country more.