By own correspondent
Relations between Tswane and Kigali have become frosty following counter-accusations over disturbances in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
A militant group, M23 that is reportedly backed by Rwanda is clashing with Congolese forces in Goma.
Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) and the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) are in DRC to back Congolese troops.
At least 14 soldiers from South Africa that forms part of SAMIDRC in DRC have been killed in clashes with M23 forces.
Posting on his X page this Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa fired salvo at Rwandan government for breaking ceasefire agreement with DRC.
“In the last two weeks, 14 of our soldiers have been killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after coming under attack.
They were killed in violation of a ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda facilitated by President João Lourenço of Angola,” Ramaphosa said.
In another tweet, Ramaphosa said “The fighting is the result of an escalation by the rebel group M23 and Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) militia engaging the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and attacking peacekeepers from the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).”
Ramaphosa’s tweets apportioning the blame on Rwanda for civil unrest in DRC and referring to Rwandan army a ‘militia’ drew Rwandan President, Paul Kagame’s ire who accused South African officials and Ramaphosa for distorting information.
“I held two conversations this week with President Ramaphosa on the situation in Eastern DRC, including earlier today.
What has been said about these conversations in the media by South African officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies.
“If words can change so much from a conversation to a public statement it says a lot about how these very important issues are being managed,” Kagame posted on his X page.
He added, “The Rwanda Defence Force is an army, not a militia.”
Kagame could not mince his words, threatening to retaliate if South Africa took confrontational approach.
“If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good, but South Africa is in no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator. And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” Kagame further posted.
Rwandan Government Spokesperson, Yolande Makolo’s acerbic response to Ramaphosa’s tweets revealed the latter’s personal mining interests in the DRC.
“South Africans deserve to know the truth. You are not supporting the people of DRC to achieve peace, you are sending your troops to fight President Tshisekedi’s war to kill his own people. And this kind of statement only makes the Congolese president more intransigent, while the suffering continues. Please tell your people the truth about the personal interests in mining that you have in the DRC- these are the interests for which, sadly SANDF soldiers are dying,” reads Makolo’s tweet.
Last Friday, SADC chairperson, President Mnangagwa convened an Extraordinary Summit of the regional body in Harare to address the waning security situation in eastern DRC.
SADC and the East African Community (EAC) is set hold a joint summit this Saturday in Tanzania to seek lasting solution to the conflict ravaging eastern DRC.
The conflict has resulted in the death and displacement of millions of people in DRC.
