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AfriForum has expressed its serious concern about the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)’s silence after it failed to respond to the civil rights organisation’s formal request for information regarding the deployment of South African troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In February this year, AfriForum submitted a request to the SANDF in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), seeking documents that justify the deployment, details of costs and funding, and the reasons troops were sent to a specific region. This information is in the interest of public safety, yet to date the SANDF has provided no feedback or acknowledgement of this request.

“This continued silence from the SANDF is extremely concerning,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety. “The refusal to release basic information creates the impression that information is being hidden from the public, especially given the fact that there have been allegations of political and financial interference surrounding this deployment.”

In addition, reports have linked politically connected companies to lucrative mining rights in areas where South African soldiers are stationed. These allegations suggest that the SANDF’s deployment may be serving private business interests rather than promoting national security.

“It is unacceptable that the lives of South African soldiers can be put at risk for the enrichment of a few influential individuals. The SANDF’s unwillingness to cooperate only reinforces the perception of wrongdoing. If the SANDF has nothing to hide, it should have no problem being transparent,” Broodryk adds.

Issued by AfriForum