NAIROBI, Kenya – South Africa has begun pulling its troops out of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission winds down amid escalating violence and shifting diplomatic efforts.
General Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the South African National Defence Forces (SANDF), confirmed on Sunday that the troops are regrouping in neighboring Tanzania ahead of their return home later this month.
“The withdrawal is proceeding in a disciplined, structured manner,” Maphwanya said, emphasizing that this is a “technical move” aligned with regional peace efforts—not a retreat.
The troops were part of the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), deployed in December 2023 to counter the resurgence of the M23 rebel group, which has steadily advanced across parts of the eastern, mineral-rich region.
Maphwanya said 13 military trucks carrying 57 soldiers have already reached an assembly point in Tanzania. Additional personnel are expected to follow in the coming days.
The full withdrawal is expected to conclude by late May, though a few personnel will remain temporarily to manage the repatriation of equipment.
The mission, which was led primarily by South Africa and included contributions from Malawi and Tanzania, formally ended operations in mid-March.
It faced significant setbacks in January, when a wave of M23 offensives left 17 SAMIDRC soldiers dead, including 12 South Africans. Malawi lost three troops and Tanzania two in the same period.
In parallel, South African troops also serve in a separate United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC. That mission also suffered casualties earlier this year, with two South African peacekeepers killed in rebel attacks.
While the SADC withdrawal comes amid criticism over the limited gains against M23 rebels, Maphwanya maintained that it should not be viewed as a failure.
“We are not abandoning the Congolese people,” he said, describing the exit as a contribution to a broader regional realignment, including recent U.S.-brokered talks in Qatar between Congolese and Rwandan officials aimed at defusing tensions and restoring dialogue.
The M23 group, which the DRC accuses of being backed by Rwanda—a claim Kigali denies—has grown increasingly entrenched in recent months, posing one of the most serious challenges to regional peace efforts in years.
Analysts say the withdrawal signals a strategic recalibration. “SADC may be stepping back militarily, but it is not stepping away diplomatically,” said Dineo Maluleka, a Johannesburg-based security analyst. “What’s next depends heavily on how much leverage regional and international actors can bring to bear on the M23 and their alleged backers.”
The unfolding situation leaves the eastern DRC at a crossroads—between open-ended conflict and fragile, externally brokered diplomacy.
