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South African National Defence Force members.
Deputy Defence Minister General Bantu Holomisa has urged government to allocate more funding to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for troops deployed abroad.
This call comes as Defence Minister Angie Motshekga visits the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to assess the operational conditions and welfare of South African soldiers stationed in the region.
The visit coincides with reports from the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) of ongoing heavy clashes involving the M23, the Congolese Armed Forces and other armed groups near Sake.
Last year, the SANDF lost six soldiers to enemy action in the DRC, with an additional four deaths resulting from illness, murder, and suicide.
Holomisa says, “This is unacceptable that we can undermine the security of the state of South Africa. There is no air support. We have been asking the Department of Finance to give us money so that we can service the Air Force. We have submitted a written report to the office of the President, to the National Treasury, so let’s wait, maybe they will react.”
The SANDF’s deployment in the DRC is part of regional peacekeeping efforts under the United Nations mandate.
PODCAST | Deputy Defence Minister General Bantu Holomisa on First Take SA:
