The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has announced that government is reconfiguring funding for the troop deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“This is in light of the announcement of South Africa's phased withdrawal from the East African country. In this regard, the R5 billion we had proposed to allocate to the Department of Defence for its participation in the SADC mission in the DRC is reduced. But the allocation for 2025/26 has been increased from R1.8 billion to R3 billion,” the Minister said on Wednesday, in Parliament.
Re-tabling 2025 Budget Review, the Minister said the funds will cover the immediate costs of an orderly and safe withdrawal of troops and mission equipment.
In March, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced its decision to withdraw the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) force from eastern DRC, opting for a phased withdrawal.
Reports indicate that leaders from the 16-nation SADC have lost at least a dozen soldiers in the eastern DRC since January of this year.
Locally, 14 members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries as fighting in the Goma region intensified between 23 and 27 January.
These soldiers were part of the SAMIDRC, which aims to help restore peace, security, and stability in Africa’s second-largest country.
READ I Withdrawal of SA soldiers in DRC proceeding according to plan
Local Elections
“Madam Speaker, R1.4 billion is allocated to support the preparations for the upcoming local elections. [A total of] R885 million of the allocation is for the Independent Electoral Commission and R550 million for the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force to maintain public order.
“This investment contributes to upholding the democratic processes and ensuring that every South African can exercise their right to vote in a safe and secure environment,” Godongwana said. - SAnews.gov.za
