Ramaphosa extends SANDF deployments

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised extensions of the employment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and for the maritime security strategy along the coast of the Indian Ocean.

Ramaphosa informed parliament in two separate letters dated April 15 of the extension of the employment of 1,198 members of the military for service in fulfilment of an international obligation towards the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission (Monusco) in the DRC.

“Members of the SANDF employed will continue, under Monusco, with the effort to neutralise negative forces and illegal armed groups by restoring peace and security in the DRC under Operation Mistral over the period April 16 2024 to December 20 2024,” said Ramaphosa.

The expenditure expected to be incurred for the deployment amounts to just over R805m, he said.

The Monusco force took over from an earlier UN operation in 2010 to help quell insecurity in the eastern DRC, where armed groups fight over territory and resources.

Ramaphosa also extended the employment of 200 army members for service in fulfilment of South Africa's international obligation towards the Southern African Development Community Maritime Security Strategy (Sadc MSS) to counter the threat of piracy and other related illegal maritime activities along the Southern African coast of the Indian Ocean.

“Members of the SANDF employed will continue with the responsibilities of countering the threat of piracy and other related illegal maritime activities under Sadc MSS’s Operation Copper over the period April 1 2024 to March 31 2025.”

The expenditure expected to be incurred for this deployment amounts to R35.3m

The army’s Operation Copper is aimed at ramping up antipiracy patrols in the Mozambique Channel as that country’s government continues to battle a seemingly unstoppable insurgency.

The operation began in 2011 to combat rising security threats in the channel.

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