The war in eastern DRC has now escalated into a diplomatic standoff, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame openly challenging South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Kagame taunts Ramaphosa in fiery statement
Kagame accused Ramaphosa of distorting facts and misleading the public regarding the conflict.
In a statement on Wednesday, Kagame dismissed Ramaphosa’s claims that South African forces were in the region as peacekeepers, insisting that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) was deployed as an offensive force aiding the DRC government against its own people.
Kagame alleged that South African officials, including Ramaphosa himself, had misrepresented private discussions about the war.
Kagame directly refuted Ramaphosa’s assertion that South African soldiers had been killed by M23 rebels.
Instead, he claimed that Ramaphosa admitted in private conversations that the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) were responsible for the deaths of the SANDF members.
He further accused SADC of undermining existing peace efforts, particularly the East African Community Regional Force, which had been deployed to stabilise the region before SAMIDRC took over.
Kagame’s most provocative remark came when he stated that if South Africa wanted a confrontation, Rwanda was prepared to engage at any time.
“If South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” Kagame warned
What was South Africa’s response?
The South African government has rejected Kagame’s claims and reaffirmed that SANDF soldiers are in the DRC as part of a peacekeeping mission.
In a statement released late on Wednesday, Ramaphosa condemned the M23 rebels and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) for their actions in eastern Congo.
“The unauthorised presence of the Rwanda Defence Forces in eastern DRC violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.”
He insisted that South Africa was committed to restoring peace in the region and rejected any suggestion that South African forces were involved in escalating the conflict.
While the president has yet to address Kagame’s latest remarks, reports confirm DIRCO is aware of the fiery statement and, from what we understand, diplomatic channels between the two countries remain active.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, during an inter-ministerial press briefing, called for Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the DRC.
“We would like to reiterate that military action is not the only solution in Congo. Therefore, there must be a political dialogue that would address all concerns of the parties in conflict,” he said.
The minister made it clear that South Africa remained committed to a diplomatic resolution and urged both Rwanda and the DRC to return to peace talks under the Luanda and Nairobi processes.
What’s the latest in DRC?
The war in eastern DRC continues to escalate, with the M23 rebellion advancing further south towards Bukavu.
Reports indicate that M23 forces have reached the town of Nyabibwe, which is considered the last major defensive point before Bukavu’s airport.
This development has raised fears that Bukavu, the largest city in eastern Congo, could be the next to fall.
Concerns are growing that the conflict may expand beyond DRC’s borders, as Burundian troops have been deployed near the fighting zones, increasing the risk of direct confrontation between Burundi and Rwanda.
According to reports, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with hospitals in Goma overwhelmed due to ongoing clashes.
Electricity remains cut off, and international aid organisations have warned that thousands of displaced civilians are now at risk of starvation and disease.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts appear to be stalling. The Kenyan government had announced that Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Kagame were set to attend a virtual crisis summit, but Congolese state media later reported that Tshisekedi would not participate.
Rwanda’s ambassador-at-large for the Great Lakes region, Vincent Karega, stated that M23’s advance would continue despite international pressure to halt hostilities.