Siyavuya Mzantsi and ANA
THE South African National Defence Force is withdrawing 50 soldiers from the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly breaking a curfew.
SANDF spokesperson Brigadier- General Xolani Mabanga said the number may increase and the group will face a court martial as soon as all necessary administration and processes have been finalised
They were stationed in the eastern DRC as part of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Congo (MONUSCO).
“The information that we have is that a total of 50 members have broken curfew in the deployment area.
“We are now following the UN process and once we get approval from the UN, they could be coming back to the country,” said Mabanga.
The SANDF has about 900 to 1 000 troops stationed in the eastern DRC as part of the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), which operates under the auspices of MONUSCO.
“The members were found to have acted in a manner that compromised the security of SANDF members deployed in the area by breaching or violating the SANDF Military Discipline Supplementary Measures Act (No 16 of 1999) and Code of Conduct as well as the UN Code of Conduct for Peacekeepers,” said Mabanga
He said the SANDF “strongly condemned” any acts of ill-discipline by its members and will take necessary steps to ensure that corrective measures are taken accordingly.
“At all times members of the SANDF are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with all prescripts of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the Defence Act and the principles of international laws regulating the use of force,” he said.
South Africa has maintained a constant troop presence in the DRC since 1999 when the Second Congo War, considered the deadliest in modern African history, broke out.
At that point only a small number were sent, but this increased considerably in 2003 after a series of peace accords were signed.