South Africa has recently deployed additional troops and military equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the deaths of 14 of its soldiers in clashes with Rwanda-backed rebels last month, according to political and diplomatic sources.
This reinforcement comes amid concerns that the ongoing fighting in eastern Congo could escalate into a wider regional conflict, given the area’s history of genocide, cross-border tensions, and repeated uprisings over the past three decades.
Flight data reviewed by Reuters confirmed that transport aircraft were seen flying from South Africa to Lubumbashi in southern Congo. An airport employee in Lubumbashi verified that military planes had landed there last week.
“We’ve been informed of a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troop build-up near Lubumbashi, with around 700-800 soldiers flown in,” said Chris Hattingh, a South African lawmaker, in a message to Reuters. Hattingh, the defence spokesperson for the Democratic Alliance, mentioned that it was unclear what was happening, as parliament’s defence committee had not been briefed.
A SANDF spokesperson said they were unaware of the deployment to Lubumbashi, and a Congolese army spokesperson could neither confirm nor deny the reports.
Lubumbashi, situated about 1,500 km (930 miles) south of Goma, is a key point of military activity, especially after M23 rebels took control of Goma last month. Their offensive has claimed over 2,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands.
South Africa currently has approximately 3,000 troops stationed in Congo as part of both a UN peacekeeping mission and a Southern African regional force aimed at assisting Congo’s military in combating the M23 rebels.
The intervention has sparked significant domestic criticism, especially following the fall of Goma, which left South African soldiers surrounded without a clear exit strategy.
“They’re extremely poorly resourced and equipped,” said Kobus Marais, former shadow defence minister of the DA, now a defence analyst. “This is not our war.”
Marais, who has been kept informed about the situation, noted that the flights to Lubumbashi were carrying medicine, ammunition, and other supplies, with additional troops being deployed as a deterrent and to assist in the event of further clashes, as peace talks continue.
According to flight tracking data from FlightRadar24, an IL-76 cargo plane made multiple round-trip flights between Pretoria and Lubumbashi from January 30 to February 7.
A Lubumbashi airport employee also confirmed seeing several rotations of aircraft carrying troops and supplies. Diplomatic sources from the region also indicated awareness of the deployment.
With M23 rebels in control of Goma’s airport, South African troops stationed there are cut off from resupply routes.
“The pattern of chartered cargo flights to Lubumbashi and other locations in Burundi suggests the establishment of an additional contingency force,” said an unnamed defence expert.
Eastern Congo has witnessed multiple conflicts over the years, including two major wars in the 1990s and 2000s linked to the Rwandan genocide, which involved several neighboring countries and resulted in millions of deaths, primarily from hunger and disease.
Uganda and Burundi, which already have a substantial military presence in eastern Congo, are also reinforcing their positions.
Rwanda denies accusations that it is supporting the M23 rebels, while African leaders continue to urge the parties to engage in talks.
