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The death of three South African soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week has been a devastating blow to the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) peace mission in that country.
Inevitably, these deaths have raised questions about our sending soldiers to a warzone and also their capability to carry out their mandate there.
First of all, we have to remind South Africans that this foray into the DRC by our soldiers is nothing new. From as far back as 1999, after Nelson Mandela had spearheaded the talks to end that country’s war, South Africa has been sending soldiers on UN peacekeeping missions.
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The SA National Defence Force has also been part of peacekeeping missions in other hotspots in Africa, as part of the UN and regional bodies.
When they go, we hope and pray they will come back alive and that their efforts there leave a legacy of peace. While any loss of life is regrettable, it should be remembered that, in a warzone, there will invariably be casualties.
The three soldiers who died this week should be hailed as heroes. Had South Africa not sent troops to the DRC, that country and the region would probably be in a worse state.
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We cannot be insular and isolationist. Just as we did at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where we took a lead in challenging Israel’s belligerence, so should we play a leading role in making strides towards entrenching lasting peace in the region.
