Regional
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.