President Cyril Ramaphosa informed United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the decision to withdraw over 700 soldiers from the mission.
This move concludes nearly three decades of South African involvement in the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Presidency stated that the withdrawal is necessary to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force.
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Strategic realignment and resource constraints
The withdrawal process will be finalised through joint planning with the United Nations before the end of 2026. This decision follows 27 years of support for peace efforts in the conflict-ridden central African nation.
SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini described the move as an operational pause to reflect on long-standing regional commitments. The government cited the need to address capacity constraints and financial pressures within the national military structures.
Defence analysts noted that the SANDF has faced years of shrinking budgets and ageing equipment. The Democratic Alliance spokesperson on defence, Chris Hattingh, stated that the force suffers from strategic overreach and systemic decay.
He argued that the withdrawal was necessary to prevent further risks to under-equipped personnel in high-threat environments. Last year, a separate regional mission saw 14 South African soldiers killed during clashes with M23 rebels.
The Presidency confirmed that South Africa will maintain bilateral relations with the Congolese government despite the troop withdrawal. Ongoing support will continue through multilateral efforts led by the Southern African Development Community and the African Union.
Experts suggest this turning point allows the SANDF to focus on rebuilding its internal capacity and critical logistics. The United Nations expressed appreciation for South Africa’s extensive contribution to regional stability since the mission began in 1999.
Image: Armored vehicles belonging to the South Africa National Defence Forces (SANDF) contingent of the United Nations Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) drive towards deploy along the road leading to the entrance of the town of Sake, 25km north-west of Goma, on 23 January 2025. Credit: Michael Lunanga/AFP
