Parliament’s urgent debate on the 14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members who died in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was not short of drama as some MPs called for Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga to resign.
During the debate on Monday, some MPs made the call for military conscription to deal with youth unemployment in South Africa, while others called for the killing of the M23 rebels who have captured the eastern DRC.
Other MPs labelled EFF leader Julius Malema a “toy soldier”.
Parliament’s urgent debate relating to the 14 SANDF members who were killed took place under the theme “the recent casualties incurred by the SANDF in the Democratic Republic of Congo and their implications for the defence force”.
The debate started with DA MP Chris Hattingh and ActionSA MP Athol Trollip calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Motshekga for her “incompetence” in the deployment of South African soldiers to the DRC.
Zuma’s role praised
MK Party MP Edward Ntshingila said under the leadership of former president and current MKP leader, Jacob Zuma, the SANDF was well-funded and supported.
“When president Zuma was president of our country, there was never an attempt to attack our forces because they had maximum support. The South African Air Force is systematically weakened and decapitated,” said Ntshinga
“South Africa will never win the battle against rebels without the necessary equipment … President Zuma played a key role in bringing peace to the DRC.
“He did this by supporting the military efforts of the country in their peacekeeping mission in the DRC.”
Malema said the South African soldiers were failed by the government’s lack of planning.
“Our soldiers did not have better weapons, resources, and intelligence. They did not have drones, fighter jets, or any critical military equipment. They were left vulnerable because of the failures of government,” Malema said.
“The M23 advancement on Goma shows that the SANDF did not have intelligence to anticipate the M23 movements.”
Let us teach M23 a lesson
Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister and Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie took a swipe at the EFF and its leader, calling them “toy soldiers”.
“This is not the time to be pointing fingers. We have been humiliated. We need to teach people that when you kill a South African, there will be consequences,” McKenzie said.
“We are sitting with the highest unemployment in the world. Let us use this opportunity to call for conscription.
“Let us bring young people and train them. Let us teach M23 a lesson. We should kill those who kill our soldiers.”
McKenzie continued: “These ones are talking a lot. We need soldiers. You call yourself a commissar, CIC; we need you there. The people need you to go and fight. We are tired of toy soldiers.
“This is war. People are dying, and you are calling yourselves titles. Go and fight. I will be the first one to join the battalion. Let us go and fight real fights and not fake names of the army.”
The bodies of the 14 SANDF members left the DRC on Friday and arrived in Entebbe, Uganda, on Saturday afternoon.
The SANDF said the standard pathology procedure commenced on Sunday and is still ongoing. The SANDF said once the procedures are completed, the bodies will be transported to South Africa.
Motshekga said the bodies are expected to arrive in the country on Thursday.
