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South Africa is leading a regional force that's deploying into eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and risks being caught up in a conflict that has displaced 7-million people.

Operation Thiba is an initiative of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), though it's unclear how it will be funded. Troops from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi will begin to replace a United Nations force that's been in Congo for 25 years and a year-old East African Community deployment. Neither has been able to stabilise a region that's rich in tin, tantalum, gold and other metals.

Rwanda has been training, funding and fighting alongside the M23 rebel group operating in eastern Congo, according to UN experts, and the new mission puts SADC on the opposite side of the conflict. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has denied backing the rebels.

SADC won't be fighting the Rwanda Defence Force directly, but the mission may lead "to fighting the RDF behind the M23," said Onesphore Sematumba, Congo analyst at the International Crisis Group. Two South African soldiers deployed as part of the SADC mission were killed by a mortar attack this week.

While the operation may bolster South Africa's ambition to be a leading force in resolving continental crises, it will place further strain on its already depleted coffers. The country has also contributed troops to a force that has been fighting militants aligned with Islamic State in northern Mozambique since 2021, a deployment that was in part made to encourage TotalEnergies SE to proceed with a $20-billion liquefied natural gas project. That operation is meant to be concluded by mid-July, although it's unclear if a recent resurgence in attacks will prompt a rethink.

South Africa will send 2 900 troops to Congo for a year at a cost of R2.37-billion, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa's office. Funding won't come from the defense department's existing budget, it said, without giving details.

"South Africa has participated in peacekeeping operations for many years on the continent and it sees this as a national duty," Ramaphosa told the Cape Town Press Club on Thursday.

Congo's government and South Africa's presidency and defense, international relations and treasury departments didn't respond to requests for comment. SADC's secretariat said it couldn't comment for security reasons. Moses Kunkuyu, Malawi's information minister, said the country will deploy troops but didn't specify how the cost would be met while Tanzania's government wouldn't comment.

SADC's defense subcommittee recommended a $436-million budget for the mission, Zimbabwe's State-owned paper, The Herald, cited Angola's Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava as saying in September.

SADC approached the European Union for funding and was rebuffed, people familiar with the situation said, asking not to be identified as the information isn't public.

The US Congress would hesitate in supporting American or UN financial support for a SADC force, a congressional aide told Bloomberg. Congress turned down a request to support the East African force in 2022 outside of the UN funding mechanism, and Tshisekedi's decision to kick those troops out last year makes financing another regional force seem even riskier, said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

South African, Tanzanian and Malawian troop contingents with the UN's Congo mission have largely been paid for by that organization.

A major concern for the SADC forces will be a lack of adequate air cover. South Africa has underfunded its air force for years, with just eight of the country's 50 attack and transport helicopters in flying condition, Defense Minister Thandi Modise said in a reply to a parliamentary question in October.

"Everything is falling apart. We are so thinly sliced in terms of air capability," said Kobus Marais, defense spokesperson for South Africa's main opposition, the Democratic Alliance. "If we are not properly resourced you a...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Friday expressed its readiness for its national manifesto launch, on Saturday, and wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently announce the date of the 2024 elections.

The DA will launch its national manifesto at a march to the Union Buildings, with the party expecting about 15 000 supporters, with the majority being from Gauteng.

DA head of policy Mat Cuthbert explained that the party's manifesto focussed on key solutions needed to turn the country around. He said the party believed that with civil society and business, it could rescue South Africa.

DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube highlighted that the party was launching its manifesto in a "very difficult time in South Africa", where 30-million people were living in poverty, seven out of ten young people did not have jobs and many of the country's communities were unsafe.

South Africa was recently plunged into Stage 6 loadshedding, even after a commitment by Ramaphosa and his Minister for Electricity that South Africa is seeing the beginning of the end of loadshedding.

Gwarube said the DA's plan sought to lift people out of poverty, create jobs and solve the energy crisis that was hindering the country's growth.

ELECTION DATE

The DA believes the African National Congress (ANC) has an unfair advantage in the announcement of the election date, and is calling for Ramaphosa to let the rest of the country in on when voters will head to the polls.

She said that it was very important for the DA that Ramaphosa proclaimed the election date.

"It is our view that it is an unfair advantage to the ANC that the President is not announcing the election date. We were hoping that we would see the announcements in Parliament this week," she said.

She said the party wanted to ensure that South Africans knew what the DA was working towards.

"We are ready, and we are ready to make sure that we work towards an election date, where we are going to see South Africa usher in a new government. The DA has been poised internally to not only make the offer to South Africans of where we are but also to ready ourselves. We have been engaged in a series of ready-to-govern workshops with various provinces. We have identified strategic provinces where research shows that we are likely to see DA-lead coalition governments, whether it is in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng or the Northern Cape and of course the intention is to retain the Western Cape with an increased majority," said Gwarube.

She highlighted that all this was not viewed outside of the overarching and very bold goal of forming a national government that was going to be led by opposition parties, in 2024.

"We believe that South Africa cannot afford to have another five years of the ANC at the helm of government and that we desperately need an alternative, and we believe that the alternative is not only poised to take over but we have identified a clear path to victory. The formation of the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa has also increased our view of how we get to a national government coalition," said Gwarube.

She said research showed that the DA was well on its way to achieving its targets and its electoral goals.

"This research is only a guide because ultimately the most important poll is the poll on election day and we take nothing for granted. We are going to be working flat out as soon as this manifesto is launched," she said.

EVENTS FOR MANIFESTO LAUNCH

DA federal chairperson Dr Ivan Meyer said the march to the Union Buildings held symbolic importance, signifying the party's determination to usher in a new era of governance, "bidding farewell to stagnation".

The DA was poised to lead, prioritising the welfare of the people, he added.

"Anticipation is high for the most extensive march ever witnessed, with hundreds of buses converging from across the country, most notably Gauteng," he said.

The event served as an opportunity for unity, embodying the DA's collective commitment to rescuing South Africa. He highlight...

Police Minister Bheki Cele believes South African Police Services' (Saps') efforts to prevent, combat and arrest criminals are proving to be effective, as he noted a reduction in the number of murders reported in the last two quarters.

Cele was addressing the media, on Friday, on the third quarter crime statistics for October to December 2023, where he said Operation Shanela was making its mark and putting a dent in serious, violent and organised crime.

Since its inception in May, more than 442 000 suspects had been arrested.

While the number of reported murders reduced in the last two consecutive quarters, 7 710 people were murdered between October and December, an increase of 155 when compared with the same period in the previous year.

"The provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Free State must be singled out and commended for being able to register a reduction in the number of people murdered during this period," Cele said.

A total of 32 229 suspects were arrested for common assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; 4 882 suspects were arrested for murder and attempted murder; and 4 783 suspects were arrested for sexual offences-related crimes, such as rape and attempted rape.

Cele said 6 383 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs; 3 747 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs, while 16 942 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs.

Cele added that 2 581 suspects were arrested for being in possession of illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition.

He noted that October to December was a significantly busy holiday period and saw the Saps deploy critical resources and manpower.

"I must say, we came into this festive period, well prepared …We unleashed our safer festive operational plan on the 13th of October 2023, where we deployed various policing interventions and strategies and gave strict instructions and a clear directive to our members on the ground to squeeze out all criminals in every corner of this country," he explained.

Cele highlighted that attention and more resources had been allocated to stations that had the highest number of murders reported, saying the majority of the top 30 stations where murder was most reported were to be found in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Eastern Cape.

DNA BACKLOG AND CRIMES

Meanwhile, Cele explained that there had been significant progress in the rate of finalisation of DNA cases and the eradication of the historic DNA backlog, which was currently at zero, from 251 000 cases in the 2021/2022 financial year.

"Further to this, the expansion of the DNA lab in Gqerberha, which was opened by the President in August 2023, has contributed immensely to the processing of more DNA samples in the country. All these efforts have contributed positively to Saps' fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases. For example, the National Prosecuting Authority and Saps project has led to more than 40 000 DNA forensic reports being finalised to ensure that cases of GBVF are prioritised," he said.

He explained that crimes detected as a result of police action, such as the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, drug-related crime, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as sexual offences and other crimes, registered a positive increase of 10.8%.

"These are crimes that are usually not reported to the police but detected as a result of the deployment of law enforcement personnel and the employment of intelligence," he said.

The statistics revealed that contact crimes, which are commonly known as the 17-community reported crimes and which include murder, rape, assault, and shoplifting, registered a slight increase of 1.5 %, Cele added.

President Cyril Ramaphosa noted on Thursday that though capacity support to provinces and municipalities, government is improving its ability to spend the grants allocated to infrastructure developments.

Ramaphosa was responding to the State of the Nation Address debate, where he explained that government is committed to putting an end to the practice of infrastructure funds been returned to the fiscus, unspent.

He said infrastructure was a problem across the country, including in the Western Cape, with many provinces returning unspent funds to the fiscus.

"…And I have often said there is no greater sin that we as public representatives and servants can do than to return money to the fiscus when money has been allocated for work that should be done," Ramaphosa said.

He said this practice was as a results of challenges in project preparation and planning.

"…And I am saying that must stop, money must work for what it is supposed to. I have also said infrastructure is the flywheel of our economy," he said.

Ramaphosa noted that through infrastructure, the country is able to ensure that there is economy growth and employment. He noted that after the decline in gross fixed capital formation over a number of years, South Africa is now posed to improve its infrastructure build so that levels foreseen by the national development plan can be reached by 2023.

He highlighted that challenges people in rural areas have been facing in crossing rivers during raining seasons, has been strengthened by government's resolve to seeped up processes of building rural bridges.

He said the rural bridges are built as part of the Welisizwe programme that allows children to get to school safely and they enable villagers to reach shops or visit relatives and reach services.

He said government is on course to complete 96 bridges that are targeted, saying citizens must be proud of how the South African National Defence Force also does real community orientated projects, by building bridges.

RESTORING GROWTH

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa noted that he has been clear, direct and honest about outlining all the challenges that the country's citizens are facing, saying despite all achievement in the country, many South Africans, young and old are concerned about the state of affairs in the nation.

He highlighted that many municipalities are struggling to provide the basic services people need.

"As we reflect on the journey we have travelled, we must acknowledge the severe challenges that we still face. Some who have come to speak here have just spoken about the positives but I have taken care to also speak about our weaknesses. I have taken care to also speak about our shortcomings, fallings but I have also taken care to say we must work together to correct what is broken now. That we must do,"

He explained that in doing so citizens must confront the country's past, which he says remains visible as we travel from suburban to informal settlement, from rich farm lands to poor villages.

He noted that over the last five years government have made significant progress in restoring the country's economy to growth and to create jobs.

He explained that when Covid-19 hit South Africa, the economy tanked.

"And just to demonstrate the resilience of our economy it bounced back and now it is above the pre Covid period. We have seen the results of this efforts in the recovery of our economy and the sustained increase in jobs since the end of Covid-19 pandemic," he said.

He added that the efforts were also seen in the growth the country's agricultural exports -South Africa now exports nearly half of its agricultural products. He said that in 2022 ten country's agricultural exports reached a record of R247-billion .

He noted that South Africa was one of the countries in the continent and it is the top food secure country, however despite this there are still people who go to bed hungry

He said there is a massive increase in international tourism.

He noted over the last five years Sou...

The South African military said on Thursday two of its soldiers were killed and three wounded by a mortar bomb that landed inside a military base in Democratic Republic of Congo, where its troops are helping to fight armed groups.

South Africa said earlier this week that it would send 2 900 troops as part of its contribution to a force deployed by southern African regional bloc SADC to help Congo address deteriorating security in its restive eastern region.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said in a statement posted on X that the mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African contingent's military bases on Wednesday.

"As a result of this indirect fire, the SANDF suffered two fatalities and three members sustained injuries. The injured were taken to the nearest hospital in Goma for medical attention," the statement said.

An investigation into the incident will be conducted, the SANDF added.

Ahead of South Africa's 2024 elections, later this year, the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) has approached the international community for assistance in safeguarding against any attempts to disrupt the election or influence the electorate.

The 11 parties that make up the Charter have written to Ministers and organisations across the world for technical support to allay concerns of "foreign influence" in the elections.

"While we have qualified confidence in the Electoral Commission of South Africa, parties in the MPC are acutely aware that they have assembled the biggest voting bloc outside of the ANC [African National Congress] in the history of our democracy. This, alongside the certain loss of a national ANC majority this year, means that the efforts to capture this election will be greater than ever before. We recognise that our domestic efforts to ensure electoral integrity can and must be shored up," they said.

It added that South Africa's election, this year, was the most crucial since the first democratic election in 1994, particularly as national support for the ruling ANC is set to fall below 50%.

While this could see the set-up of a new government, the MPC said this also heightened the threat to electoral integrity.

"Therefore, the parties to the Multi-Party Charter are using every means available to us to ensure a free and fair election. Now is the time to rally all true supporters of democracy around South Africa's democratic cause," it said.

The MPC has committed to ensure oversight over voting stations across the country, while also calling on civil society to assist with voter education. It also wants international observers before and during the election and capacity-building for domestic monitors.

"We have appealed to foreign governments and relevant organisations to recognize the high stakes involved - for South Africa, for the continent of Africa, and for democracies globally," the MPC said.

Zimbabwean former Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay and Australian Justice Michael Kirby have joined Freedom Under Law's (FUL's) international advisory board to fill the vacancies following the deaths of founding members Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Lord Johan van Zijl Steyn.

Both retired judges, Gubbay and Kirby are internationally regarded for being vocal on the rule of law, judicial independence and the protection of human rights.

"The lives of the two prominent Commonwealth judges have intersected in many ways. They were both strong proponents (with later Chief Justice Mahomed of South Africa) of the application of international rights instruments in domestic law, beginning with the Bangalore Principles and Harare Declaration. Both attended the ground-breaking Bloemfontein Colloquium in 1993 chaired by former Chief Justice Corbett, in which some senior South African judges and counsel also participated. Both have been recipients of the Gruber Prize for Justice, other decorations and honorary doctorates," said FUL.

In 1959, two years after joining the Bar in Zimbabwe, Cambridge alum Gubbay defended 100 members of the African National Congress of Southern Rhodesia against detention without a trial. He headed up the Income Tax Appeal Tribunal and the Patents Tribunal before joining the High Court in Bulawayo and then the Appellate Division in Harare.

Post democracy, he held the Acting Chief Justice position for five terms before being appointed Chief Justice in 1990, where he presided over cases relating to human rights, such as freedom of speech, arbitrary arrests, decriminalising homosexuality and asserting land rights.

"In 2001 he was forced from office. The Supreme Court was allowed to be invaded, and he was threatened. He was replaced by a High Court judge, Godfrey Chidyausiku, who had served as a deputy minister, acting attorney-general and member of the Politburo of the ruling party. Gubbay has received wide international recognition. He is an Honorary Bencher of Lincoln's Inn, a patron of the Association of Commonwealth Judges and Magistrates and was appointed to the Permanent Court of Arbitration," FUL said.

Beginning as a barrister in industrial relations, Kirby was the president of the New South Wales Court of Appeal and first chair of the Australian Law Reform Commission. He was a judge of Australia's highest court for 13 years, until 2009.

He is known notably for his judgments in the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights.

"FUL records its gratitude for the willingness of these eminent figures to contribute their moral leadership and wisdom," said the nonprofit organisation.

ActionSA in Ekurhuleni has filed a motion of no confidence against Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana and his team of MMCs, in a bid to "save the metro from the brink of collapse".

The party noted that since Ngodwana's appointment, with the help of the African National Congress, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and minority parties such as the African Transformation Movement, Independent Citizen Movement, Pan Africanist Congress, Congress of the People, United Democratic Movement, African Independent Congress and IRSASA in March 2023, service delivery and the City's financial standing had deteriorated.

The motion will now serve before Council's programming committee, and once approved, will be tabled at the February Council meeting for a vote.

ActionSA has been a vocal opponent of Ngodwana's tenure as mayor, which saw the EFF join the City's political leadership for the first time.

"It was clear that Ngodwana was installed as a compromise between the ANC and EFF, and we cannot idly sit by and watch as he fails to govern," ActionSA City of Ekurhuleni caucus leader Siyanda Makhubo said.

Makhubo claimed that under Ngodwana's leadership, the City's finances deteriorated, with cash on hand at record lows and service delivery grinding to a halt as service providers were not paid.

He noted that Ngodwana ignored a council resolution on insourcing and failed to implement a lifestyle audit. He also failed to implement the council resolution on hijacked buildings, which ActionSA said continued to pose a health and safety risk for unsuspecting residents.

"We have seen that the EFF, occupying important service delivery portfolios and the critical finance portfolio, has systematically brought service delivery to a halt, and failed to implement fiscal controls," said ActionSA.

Makhubo pointed out tha Finance MMC Nkululeko Dunga was infamously involved in the 'Blue-Light Crash' last year and has also more recently failed to submit the Auditor General's report to council on time.

"This is a basic pillar of good governance, which allows councillors as elected public representatives to assess the state of the City's finances and whether rate payers' money is being spent correctly," Makhubo added.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni agreed with ActionSA's sentiments that service delivery has all but collapsed and that the city's finances have been eroded since the ANC/EFF coalition took over in March last year, however, it said it cannot comment on the "hearsay" surrounding the possible motions of no confidence.

DA Leader in the City of Ekurhuleni Tania Campbell said the party will not be drawn into any 'cowboy politics' and will not be used to settle political scores.

She said her party will await official council processes and should any motions of no confidence appear on the agenda to be debated at the next council meeting, the DA will vote to put residents first and stabilise the metro.

"The DA's focus has always been - putting the residents first, good governance and adequate service delivery. The municipality must not be allowed to be used as a political showground where the only people who benefit are the politicians and communities suffer. Government must have a positive impact on the lives of those whom we were elected and privileged to serve - the residents of Ekurhuleni. Should any motions be tabled to be heard in council, the DA will act for the best outcome for the residents across Ekurhuleni," said Campbell.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape has noted the resignation of former Cape Town mayor and Safety MEC Dan Plato from the party, as he finds a new political home with the People's Movement for Change (PMC), led by Marius Fransman.

Plato resigned as Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and member of the DA after he accused the DA of moving away from its commitment to serving the needs of the poor and vulnerable.

Plato expressed concerns about the DA's "loss of identity" as a political home for the poor and working class, alleging that the party suppresses voices that do not align with a certain group.

Additionally, Plato criticised the DA's stance on pro-Palestine voices within the party.

"The DA's suppression of pro-Palestine voices within the party is deeply troubling. This stifling of diverse opinions contradicts the principles of justice and equality. As someone dedicated to upholding the rights of all, I believe in fostering open dialogue on critical global issues, and the DA's current stance on the Palestinian question is incompatible with those values," said Plato.

The DA said it noted the resignation and DA Provincial Leader in the Western Cape Tertuis Simmers said the party thanked Plato for his years of service, both to the DA, and at different levels of government.

"We wish him well in his endeavours," said Simmers.

Plato noted that he was not going to say anything "wrong or bad" about the DA, adding that the party was very good to him.

Plato thanked the DA for allowing him in their space, allowing him to grow as a politician.

He highlighted that he was now going to use the work he did in the DA in a different format and environment.

"I think PMC has a lot to offer the people of Cape Town, has a lot to offer the disadvantaged of the City of Cape Town. I will love to play a major role in that," said Plato.

Plato's resignation comes after several high-profile members left the party, including Ghaleb Cachalia and Khume Ramulifho.

In his speech, on Tuesday, in the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address (SoNA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Velenkosini Hlabisa painted a harsh picture of the African National Congress (ANC) and the challenges facing the country under its leadership.

He noted former IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi's last message to the ANC - "If the promise of South Africa is truly still alive, it is thanks to the resilience of our people. But how far is this Government willing to test our resilience? They are playing a dangerous game" - and said the ANC was moving in the wrong direction.

Hlabisa pointed out that the ANC did not come into democracy and freedom by itself and lamented the passing of the Government of National Unity, which he said gave South Africans hope after the end of Apartheid.

He stated that between 1994 and 1999, under the leadership of a Government of National unity, South Africa had flourished.

He pointed out the progress made by that government through the passing of landmark legislation, growing skills and investment, and finding a balance between human rights and national security.

Hlabisa quoted the International Monetary Fund's perception of South Africa in the first ten years of democracy, as a country that had made "impressive gains" to stabilise the economy, set up higher economic growth and strengthen finances and that since the ANC's sole governance, the perception of a well-performing economy had waned.

He reminded Ramaphosa that the ANC did not govern alone between 1994 and 1999 and so, he said, that period could not be a measure of the ANC's success alone.

He said it was only when the ANC gained unfettered power that the quality of good governance began to decline.

"So no, Honourable President, do not keep telling us what the ANC has done since 1994. Again, the ANC did not liberate South Africa nor build democracy alone. But the ANC did, when given the chance, destroy the economy single-handedly. The ruling party did create the conditions for crime to flourish and for corruption to run rampant through the public service. You did cripple the education system and the healthcare system, destroying our hope of building our future," Hlabisa said.

He blamed Ramaphosa for continued economic decline under the ANC government and an increase in crime.

Hlabisa said while the IFP supported initiatives such as universal healthcare, the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill that the ANC government wanted to pass into law would be a "recipe for disaster".

"The [Health] Minister has already confirmed that government does not have the funds to hire doctors. The NHI Bill has been overwhelmingly rejected by the healthcare sector, business and the opposition. Like Outcomes-based Education, which handicapped our education system and had to be abandoned, the NHI will cripple our health sector," he warned.

SA IS IN CRISIS

Hlabisa echoed Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen's call for change through voting and said, "It truly is now or never."

He stated that the country was on autopilot and in crisis, and he accused Ramaphosa of putting the ANC ahead of the country.

He dismissed another five years of ANC rule and said the IFP was ready to govern.

"We did it in 1994. And the IFP is ready to do it in 2024. We will do it with our votes," he said.

Hlabisa, like Steenhusien, hit back against Ramaphosa's story of Tintswalo, a child of democracy, born in 1994, and meant to represent someone who had reaped the benefits of freedom, under the ANC government.

"Tintswalo's story is not the story of today's youth. Unlike Tintswalo, 41% of our youth are unemployed. Thousands of NSFAS beneficiaries are sitting at home with their degrees and diplomas, without jobs. Their dreams are fading away. Millions of children of democracy still live in shacks and informal settlements, with no clean water, toilets or refuse removal. Their only connection to Tintswalo, is that she, too, sits vulnerable in the dark, o...