R5bn SANDF plan outlined as troops withdraw from DRC

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana said any decision regarding the R5 billion allocated for the SANDF peace mission will take into account the Department of Defence’s needs amid the withdrawal of troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

This comes in response to concerns raised by ActionSA’s Alan Beesley regarding the financial ramifications of the planned troop withdrawal.

Beesley wrote to Godongwana enquiring about the financial implications of the SANDF’s exit from the DRC, including the impact on the R3.5bn for the deployment to the DRC after the decision by the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) withdrawal of troops from the DRC.

He also wanted to know whether the R5bn allocated in the 2025 Budget for the peacekeeping commitments will be reallocated, reduced and/or repurposed in light of the SADC withdrawal.

In his written reply, Godongwana said the financial implications of the phased withdrawal of SANDF troops from the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMI-DRC) will only be determined once SADC provides a formal withdrawal plan.