MEDIA STATEMENT REGARDING SANDF TROOPS INVOLVED IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC REBEL ATTACKS

SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2013

The South African National Defence Force Union (SANDU) has taken note of reports that at least 6 South African soldiers have been killed in clashes with rebels in the Central African Republic over the past 24 hours. These reports have circulated in the international media for at least the past 6 hours without the SANDF or SA government being willing or able to confirm same (see Reuters report).

It needs to be noted that our troops have remained in that country from an initial deployment plan to assist in bringing about peaceful transition to democracy, notwithstanding the fact that the now deposed President Bozize had failed to honour a peace agreement in January 2013. The President of SA Jacob Zuma should have withdrawn our troops at the very moment Bozize dishonoured his obligations in this respect.

The Bozize regime is notorious for its corruption, nepotism and maladministration of the government of the Central African Republic. His dishonouring of that agreement should have been the green light for the withdrawal of our troops from that country. SA had no further business being in a country governed by a crooked dictator.

Now that Bozize has jumped ship like a coward our troops are left in his mismanaged capital under staffed and under equipped against the onslaught of rebels who by far outnumber and outgun our soldiers. Pres Zuma is called upon to withdraw our troops with immediate effect, even if it entails launching a military offense to relieve our troops in distress.

It is absolutely scandalous that the SANDF has taken 5 hours to inform the public in SA of the casualties of our troops and now appears to insist that it is still 'under investigation'. Clearly this situation has politically backfired on Zuma and the SANDF is attempting to save his image instead of informing the public of the gravity of the danger in which our troops have been placed for the sake of allegiance to a cowardly crook. The SANDF will forever be tainted for dithering in the face of a full scale crisis.

Zuma is obliged to inform parliament and the entire nation of the status of the situation. This is not a little political secret to keep under the vail of national security. SA has a right to know the extent of our troops' exposure and the steps Zuma is taking to fix what appears to be more and more the result of his questionable judgment.

Statement issued by JG Greeff, SANDU national secretary, March 24 2013

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter