After initially being postponed, the Joint Standing Committee on Defence held a hearing on the situation unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), questioning Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga and Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Major General Rudzani Maphwanya.
For over four hours, members of the committee on Tuesday afternoon questioned the duo, who in turn made several attempts to avoid answering. A report was delivered on the battle of Goma late last month, but lacked significant details, with several committee members slamming the SANDF leadership for their failures.
The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) Member of Parliament (MP) Carl Niehaus did not hold back, and demanded to know when the Minister, and the Chief would resign. Referring to the “callous” actions of the Chiefs who attended a golf day on the 28th of January 2025 just after more than a dozen soldiers died in the DRC, Niehaus further called on the Chiefs of the Army and Air Force to resign as well. EFF MP Virgill Gericke further emphasised accountability for the failures of leadership, saying “heads must roll”.
Questioning the Minister during a recent television interview, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Nicholas Gotsell raised critical questions regarding the deployment of South African troops to the DRC. Key concerns centred around the lack of air superiority, the rationale behind the deployment, and the broader implications for South Africa’s defence strategy.
In the interview, the Minister acknowledged shortcomings in SANDF equipment, declining funding, and stated emphatically: “There is no price on peace.” Further, she admitted, “we are not where we want to be in respect of equipment.”
However, the Minister and the Chief sidestepped direct questions regarding air support on Tuesday. Despite the known limitations in air superiority, SANDF forces were deployed without an effective strategic air bridge between South Africa and the operational area in Goma. The absence of an aerial combat response to the M23 rebel advance and the lack of operational Rooivalk attack helicopters further underscored these deficiencies, said Gotsell.
Further, Gotsell stated that the deployment appears misaligned with the SANDF’s own doctrinal framework, as outlined in the 2015 Defence Review. The review emphasises that deployed forces must be supported through airspace control, reconnaissance, close-air support, and inter-theatre air mobility. Without these elements, the effectiveness of South African troops in high-intensity operations is significantly compromised.
The Minister stated that crucial equipment was not deployed because “we don’t take all our equipment when we are peacekeeping, we are not going to fight.” This response demonstrated the Minister’s complete lack of understanding regarding military doctrine, the recent history of the SANDF’s operations and further, a repeated failure to understand that the SAMIDRC mission was authorised with an offensive mandate and is not a peacekeeping operation, experts maintain.
Notably, in 2013, Rooivalk helicopters deployed with the United Nations’ MONUSCO force played a decisive role in pushing back M23 rebels, raising further questions about their absence in this operation. Gotsell further raised whether this was this due to a lack of available aircraft or failures in military intelligence.
In a statement to defenceWeb after the hearing, Gotsell stated that the Minister’s interview exposed serious concerns regarding the SANDF’s operational preparedness, decision-making processes, and the government’s strategic rationale for the DRC deployment. The absence of adequate air support contradicts established military doctrine, raising questions about the mission’s viability. Additionally, the lack of transparency regarding the extension decision and the government’s broad assurances of security left many unanswered questions about South Africa’s long-term defence strategy. Whether these concerns will be adequately addressed remains to be seen, said Gotsell.
DA MP Chris Hattingh said in a statement that the crisis in the DRC has worsened, with reports of South African soldiers being captured, killed, or injured by M23 rebels, who now control key airspace and have surrounded SANDF bases in Goma and Sake. Further, the lack of air support and logistical infrastructure has made evacuation efforts increasingly difficult. Despite repeated warnings from defence reports dating back to 2015, the SANDF lacks the capacity for sustained peacekeeping or combat operations, yet the government has persisted with the deployment, placing troops in an unwinnable situation, stated Hattingh.
The DA has renewed calls for the immediate withdrawal of South African forces and has demanded the dismissal of Motshekga for her failure to provide clear leadership. The party believes her misleading statements on troop readiness and attempts to frame the deployment as a peacekeeping mission contradict the reality on the ground, where forces have been mandated to actively neutralise armed groups. With no viable logistical support and troops trapped in hostile territory, the government must act swiftly to bring them home before more lives are lost.
By the end of the hearing, Committee members appeared united in their call for the resignation of the Minister, and for SANDF leadership to be held accountable. Several members indicated their intention to call for a vote in the forthcoming sitting of Parliament for a full inquiry into the events of the Battle of Goma.