South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Zimbabwe and SADC Chairman Emmerson Mnangagwa and SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi gesture ahead of the SADC extraordinary summit in Harare on January 31, 2025. The SADC held crisis talks on the escalating conflict in the eastern DR Congo, with calls for a collective response to the threat to regional security. The extraordinary summit was called after the Rwanda-backed M23 group captured most of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week in fighting that killed soldiers from South Africa and Malawi deployed as part of regional peacekeeping efforts. Jekesai NJIKIZANA / AFP
THE peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where 14 South African National Defence (SANDF) members have been killed in the gunfight with rebels backed by Rwanda, is “precarious and fragile”, with questions about motivations simmering beneath the surface, says international relations expert, Siseko Maposa.
“As casualties mount on both sides, these concerns will likely intensify with Pretoria facing immense domestic scrutiny and accountability. A military solution to the crisis appears increasingly unlikely, underscoring the need for a viable political solution,” said Maposa, also a director of management consultancy, Surgetower Associates.
His remarks follow a diplomatic standoff between Rwanda and South Africa after the presidents of the two countries were embroiled in a public spat on social media. Rwanda’s Paul Kagame fell short of referring to his South African counterpart as a liar.
Briefing the media last week, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga said Ramaphosa had issued a “warning” to Rwanda, that continued hostilities against SANDF members would be taken as a declaration of war.
In response, Kagame accused Pretoria of distorting facts, after Ramaphosa referred to the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) as a militia.
Maposa said while diplomatic channels were being used to ease tensions, the clash of words may signify that South Africa’s “soft power” influence on the continent was waning.
“President Kagame's remarks on social media platform X were indeed unprecedented, but diplomatic channels are already being utilised to ease the tensions, as evidenced by meetings between foreign policy representatives of both nations. For now, these measures should suffice to preserve a semblance of diplomatic normalcy. There are, however, several thought-provoking dynamics that this matter highlights.
“South Africa's soft power influence is waning amidst shifting African power dynamics, potentially undermining Pretoria’s role as peacekeepers in Africa.”
International relations expert, Dr Kingsley Makhubela said that the events had reversed good relations between the countries.
“The reference to Rwanda Defence Force as militia in President Ramaphosa’s statement was unfortunate, and I still don't think that was his intention at all. It was probably the result of poor quality controls by senior officials in his office; the matter of Minister Motshekga saying President Ramaphosa had ‘warned’ President Kagame was also unfortunate. I am of the view that Minister Motshekga's utterances were the results of language, and the (context) of what she wanted to say was lost in translation.
“Having said that, the response of President Kagame could not be justified, calling his colleagues a liar and other insults are regrettable. President Ramaphosa is correct not to respond to the insults on social media. Ramaphosa should consider sending a special envoy to clarify Rwanda about all the unfortunate pronouncements,” Makhubela said.
On the ground the situation in Goma was intensifying, forcing Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to shift operations to emergency response.
MSF emergency coordinator in Goma, Virginie Napolitano said: “This week, the situation was very chaotic. In the beginning, there were clashes with artillery. We also heard a lot of gunshots crackling in the city, very close to homes and workplaces. When we finally managed to go out for our activities, we saw military uniforms lying around in the streets, as well as many gun shells. There were also a lot of weapons in the streets, some of which were recovered by people or armed groups.”
There has been looting in the city.
“Many international organisations' stocks have been affected, including those of MSF. They contained humanitarian supplies, such as medicines, which allow NGOs to work, particularly in the displaced persons camps. Most humanitarian organisations can no longer work. Goma has some two million inhabitants, to which must be added more than 650 000 people displaced by the fighting in recent months or years who live near the city in unsanitary camps. MSF only has minimal medicines and has stopped intervening in these camps for now. Kyeshero Hospital is overwhelmed by the number of wounded, even though the MSF teams and those from the Ministry of Health are doing their best. They were used to treating malnourished children and after the implementation of the plan for the mass influx of wounded, found themselves treating war wounded. In this hospital, we lack medicines but also staff, particularly those specialising in surgery.”
Cape Times