Calls for Defence Minister Angie Motshekga’s resignation are mounting following the tragic deaths of 14 South African soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
ActionSA, along with several opposition leaders, has called for the Minister’s immediate removal after she admitted the mission lacked strategy and national interest.
ActionSA MP Athol Trollip was particularly outspoken, demanding Motshekga resign by the end of the day or face dismissal. “There is no defensible reason to continue,” Trollip said.
“Our troops must return by the end of the month.” His remarks follow Motshekga’s response to a parliamentary question, where she acknowledged the lack of a clear strategic plan for the deployment.
Opposition Parties Demand Withdrawal from DRC
The controversy surrounding the DRC mission intensified during a special parliamentary sitting on Monday.
The debate centred around the deaths of 14 soldiers who were killed in combat between the M23 rebels and Congolese military forces. These South African soldiers are currently in Uganda undergoing repatriation.
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Chris Hattingh, the Democratic Alliance (DA) MP for Defence and Military Veterans, echoed calls for Motshekga’s resignation, emphasizing the urgent need for South Africa to withdraw its troops from the DRC.
“We need to withdraw from the DRC immediately,” Hattingh said. “Minister Motshekga must go—honourably or otherwise.”
Accusations of Inadequate Military Support
The criticism didn’t stop there. Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema accused the South African government of not properly equipping the army for their mission.
Malema argued that the soldiers were not in the DRC to maintain peace but were engaged in direct combat with the better-equipped M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda. He pointed out that while the rebels had advanced weaponry, South African soldiers were sent into battle without critical assets like drones and fighter jets.
In contrast, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) MP Edward Ntshingila praised former president Jacob Zuma’s handling of the SANDF deployment to the DRC, suggesting that Zuma’s approach was far superior during his tenure.
Defence Committee Defends Angie Motshekga
However, some members of Parliament have defended Angie Motshekga, calling the resignation demands opportunistic. Dakota Legoete, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence, argued that the soldiers had been deployed to the DRC well before Motshekga took office.
“It would be unfair to demand her resignation so soon, especially when we are mourning the death of 14 soldiers,” Legoete said, urging political parties to focus on the gravity of the situation instead of exploiting it for political gain.
Motshekga has maintained that the attack on the South African soldiers by M23 rebels violated the Nairobi peace accord and has assured Parliament that the bodies of the fallen soldiers will be returned by Thursday.
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