While expressing sadness at the deaths of nine South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers in a battle in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence has announced that it will urgently schedule a full briefing on the combat as well as the status of the SANDF deployment in the DRC. According to other reports, as many as 24 other SANDF soldiers were wounded in the same fighting, which was near the city of Goma.

“While the committee acknowledged the gallant resistance by our forces, the loss of nine members of the SANDF is serious and requires investigation to prevent recurrence,” highlighted committee co-chairperson Malusi Gigaba. “Some of the issues that must be looked into include the combat preparedness, defence intelligence capabilities and the specific availability of combat support equipment including air support and ammunition.”

The previous Joint Standing Committee on Defence, during the last (sixth) Parliament, had expressed concern regarding the serviceability of the SANDF’s Prime Mission Equipment and mission deployment readiness. The new committee intended to strengthen its oversight of these issues during the current (seventh) Parliament, to make certain that the SANDF would have adequate equipment to meet all eventualities.

“It is important that we get a full briefing from the Minister, the Acting Secretary of Defence and the Chief of the SANDF not only on the incident but also on the status of the mission and the availability of adequate equipment for the SANDF members deployed in DRC and in any mission,” affirmed committee co-chairperson Phiroane Phala.

The co-chairpersons jointly expressed the “wholehearted condolences” of the committee to the families of the dead, and wished rapid recoveries to the wounded. They also assured them that the committee would find the answers necessary to explain what had happened, and to strengthen the SANDF.

The SANDF troops killed were members of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) and the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (Monusco). Reportedly, three Malawian soldiers with SAMIDRC and one Uruguayan soldier with Monusco were also killed. Observers do not believe that the fighting around Goma has yet concluded and there have been reports that South Africa is planning to send reinforcements to the area.