As published by Nomazulu Moyo in African Times
South Africa has commenced the process of withdrawing its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following their peacekeeping deployment under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission. The first group of 249 soldiers is expected back in South Africa shortly, although logistical and technical challenges have caused delays.
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The withdrawal, announced by Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga on May 4, 2025, follows substantial diplomatic efforts and progress in stabilising the Goma and Sake regions of the DRC.
Addressing the media today in Bloemfontein, Minister Motshekga said
“It is with immense pride and a profound sense of gratitude that I stand before you today… The first group of 249 soldiers who served on this vital mission are due to arrive on South African soil from Tanzania.”
The soldiers’ return represents the initial phase of a carefully coordinated withdrawal. Military equipment, vehicles, and other mission resources are to be safely returned in the coming weeks.
Chief of Joint Operations, General Siphiwe Sangweni, outlined some of the logistical complications affecting the repatriation process. “With the change from the initial plan of using small aircraft to larger aircraft to carry personnel from Chad, the number of flights we needed changed. We now require nine trips to bring our soldiers back home. If we can have flights every second day, we might be able to achieve our objective before the end of June — provided there are no technical challenges or issues beyond our control.”
He further explained complications with landing logistics at the receiving airport: “Maybe they did not take into account that Bram Fischer Airport is designed for small aircraft. Now with a big aircraft, it created problems — problems which they identified late last night. This morning they assured us they are addressing it, but as of now, we are still awaiting confirmation.”
Despite these challenges, General Sangweni praised the resilience and professionalism of the troops. “One of the biggest lessons learned… South African soldiers are very strong soldiers. They are trained and committed to peacekeeping.”
The returning soldiers will undergo a demobilisation process, including psychosocial support and reintegration into their base units.
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Minister Motshekga also acknowledged the evolving nature of the operation: “The timeline for the process is moving faster than we anticipated. So it means the Chief of Joint Operations will have to work on a different timetable now that the BIA flight has completed what we initially planned.”
The delays have primarily stemmed from technical and logistical problems with the contracted airline, which are being addressed in coordination with SADC.
“It is worth noting that we are currently experiencing logistical challenges with regards to the landing time of our troops today… The indication is that the arrival has been delayed due to the technical and logistical challenges with the contracted airline which are being attended to by SADC,” General Sangweni confirmed.
Nevertheless, she remains hopeful: “If we can have [flights] every second day, we might be able to have an objective that gets completed before the end of June.”
The return of the first group of troops marks the beginning of a complex but deliberate withdrawal process — one closely watched both locally and internationally.
This article has been published in partnership with the African Times.
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