The diplomatic rift between South Africa and Rwanda has deepened, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, accusing South African President Cyril Ramaphosa of deploying the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to protect his personal mining interests.
Makolo’s comments came in response to Ramaphosa’s recent post on the social media platform X, where he reiterated South Africa’s commitment to supporting peace and security in the DRC. In a sharp retort, Makolo challenged Ramaphosa to disclose his alleged financial stakes in the DRC’s mining sector.
“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,”
Makolo wrote.
She further added:
“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.”
Ramaphosa’s post, which has garnered nearly two million views, emphasized South Africa’s historical obligation to support African nations that aided its liberation struggle.
“As a country, we have a duty of support towards the nations of Africa whose solidarity and material support helped secure our liberation. South Africa will not let up in its support to the people of the DRC so that they may have the peace and security they rightfully deserve,”
the president stated.
This latest exchange follows a previous confrontation on X, where Kagame directly responded to Ramaphosa, accusing him of misrepresenting facts. Kagame’s late-night post included a pointed remark:
“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.”
He added:
“And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day.”
The tensions between the two nations have intensified following the deaths of 14 SANDF soldiers in the DRC. General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the SANDF, confirmed that the remains of the soldiers are expected to return to South Africa on Wednesday.
[WATCH] Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has rejected claims that South African soldiers who have been deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are there to safeguard President Cyril Ramaphosa’s mining interests. pic.twitter.com/AX28LMt6mA
— SABC News (@SABCNews) February 5, 2025
The DRC has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, allegations that Rwanda denies. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Francophonie, described the situation as a moment of reckoning for Africa.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Wagner expressed her distress over the ongoing violence:
“I think it is a moment of reckoning for us as Africans. I find it particularly distressing when in 2025 we find ourselves in such harrowing situations. The scenes that we have seen from Goma. I find it unbearable that in 2025 we find ourselves in situations where Africans kill other Africans.”
She emphasized that the conflict extends beyond Rwandan and Congolese forces, implicating soldiers from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania. Wagner also reiterated the DRC’s stance on the presence of Rwandan troops within its borders, calling for their immediate withdrawal.
The M23 rebel group, which claims to have taken control of Goma, has declared a unilateral ceasefire to allow humanitarian access. However, Wagner dismissed the move as insufficient, stating:
“The M23 has issued a unilateral ceasefire on humanitarian grounds. We have yet to see what that means concretely. For humanitarian solutions, for humanitarian access to be re-established, first of all we would need Goma to be de-militarised, we would need the M23 to leave immediately as well as the Rwandan Defence Forces which are de facto occupying a sovereign part of the DRC.”
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a rebel coalition that includes the M23, announced the ceasefire on Tuesday. Despite this, Wagner stressed that lasting peace requires the complete withdrawal of foreign forces and a commitment to dialogue.
A joint summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) is scheduled for Saturday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to address the crisis in the DRC. Both DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame are expected to attend.
Wagner expressed hope that the summit would mark a turning point for the continent:
“This is a moment that I really hope that everyone goes beyond their personal egos, beyond whatever has motivated them to engage in such inhumane action that have led to so many years of suffering. We understand as Africans that this is the moment where we change, we reverse the tide, we open a new chapter that is one where we can look at the potential that we have as a continent.”
She also extended her condolences to the South African government and the families of the fallen soldiers, acknowledging the sacrifices made in the pursuit of peace.
