THE emergency capacities of Goma's hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where South African National Defence (SANDF) members were killed during a gunfight with rebels, are overwhelmed despite support from humanitarian actors, says Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC Bruno Lemarquis.
The soldiers are part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC. After two days of fierce fighting with the M23 rebel group in the eastern DRC, the South African contingent and its counterparts were able to halt the advancement of the rebel group towards the provincial capital, Goma.
SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini stated that the M23 hostile forces had launched a full-scale attack on the troops intending to take over Goma but were unable to advance due to the “heroic” resistance from the SA soldiers.
“In the course of this gallant resistance against M23 rebels, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) lost nine members by Friday, 24 January 2025, after two days of fierce fighting,” he said.
Seven of the nine were part of the SA contingent deployed in the eastern DRC in December 2023 as part of the 16-member regional bloc SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC), while two members were from the Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission (MONUSCO).
“The number of injured is still to be confirmed; however, a few suffered various degrees of injuries,” he said, adding that the members put up a brave fight to prevent the rebels from proceeding to Goma.
U.N. Security Council members were last night locked in a meeting to discuss the crisis after the reported killings.
Representatives of Uruguay and South Africa, whose peacekeepers were killed by armed groups, appealed to the Security Council to protect UN troops.
South Africa’s ambassador also said the current situation in DRC requires immediate action. The Council must discharge its mandate in this regard, she said, and parties must work to bring this conflict to an end.
DRC Foreign Affairs Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner accused Rwanda of planning “a brutality” against her country, bringing the region to the brink of tragedy.
“Each minute that is passing without decisive action by this Council is a victory for the aggressor,” she said. “The world is watching you. It’s time to act.”
Rwanda’s representative said the recent militarisation of the DRC represents an unprecedented security threat to his country. The presence of Congolese forces and mercenaries “is unacceptable”, he said.
Lemarquis said: “Humanitarian actors, including essential personnel who remain operational in Goma, are doing everything possible to address the needs of the most vulnerable civilians despite an alarming deterioration of security in displacement sites and certain neighborhoods of the city. The proximity of fighting to densely populated areas and the use of heavy artillery impose intolerable risks on civilians. The emergency capacities of Goma's hospitals are overwhelmed, despite support from humanitarian actors, including the ICRC and MSF.
“As of 24 January 2025, Goma's Ndosho General Hospital was treating over 256 injured individuals, including 90 civilians, most suffering from severe injuries caused by gunfire and artillery strikes. This far exceeds the hospital's 146-bed capacity, even after reinforcements provided by humanitarian partners.”
Here at home, the EFF and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) have condemned the South African government’s response following the killings.
This follows reports that the soldiers were not only unsupported but also faced serious logistical challenges, including running out of provisions.
In a statement, EFF Member of Parliament Carl Niehaus expressed the party’s shock and sorrow over the loss of these “heroic” soldiers deployed as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMDRC) and the MONUSCO in the North Kivu Province.
Vuyo Zungula, the leader of the African Transformation Movement said: “It is unacceptable that our soldiers are deployed in high-stakes situations without the necessary support and tools to ensure their safety and success.”
The DA also indicated that the latest incident has renewed its call for the SA troops to be withdrawn from the DRC.
“As our hearts go out to their families, we will not rest until we get answers and we hear a plan from the Minister to safeguard the SA base and personnel on the ground.”
Cape Times