Tensions between South Africa and Rwanda have intensified with President Cyril Ramaphosa labelling its military a “militia” after the recent killing of South African peacekeeping troops in war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Defence minister Angie Motshekga told journalists on Wednesday Ramaphosa had warned Rwanda that firing at South African troops was a declaration of war.
Meanwhile international relations minister Ronald Lamola reiterated the UN statements that fell short of labelling actions by Rwanda's military “possible war crimes”.
In his first statement addressing the recent killing of 13 South African soldiers, Ramaphosa said the fighting is the result of an “escalation by the rebel group M23 and Rwanda Defence Force ( militia engaging the Armed Forces of the DRC and attacking peacekeepers from the Sadc Mission in the DRC”.
He said South Africa’s military presence in the eastern DRC is not a declaration of war against any country or state.
South Africa is a dominant country on the continent, but it’s been losing that on a few issues, including the economy not doing too well. Rwanda has aspirations to be a regional power in the Central African region, but that also intersects with South Africa's sphere of influence.
— Terence Corrigan from South African Institute of Race Relations
He said the members of the South African National Defence Force in the DRC are part of Sadc and UN efforts to bring peace and protect thousands of lives that are constantly threatened by the conflict in the DRC.
“We welcome the position that was recently adopted by the UN Security Council during its special sitting on the situation in the DRC, which calls for an immediate end to hostilities, the reversal of territorial expansion by the M23, the exit of external forces from the DRC and the resumption of peace talks under the Nairobi Process.
“The territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected in accordance with the UN Charter on the respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other states,” Ramaphosa said.
South Africa has had a contentious relationship with Rwanda dating back decades. Rwanda is said to be backing M23 rebels who have captured Goma, in the DRC, a city with a population of at least 2-million citizens.
Terence Corrigan from the South African Institute of Race Relations said it has always been inevitable that South Africa and Rwanda would be on a collision course.
He explained that the two countries seek dominance in Africa, with Rwanda looking to expand its power base in the Central African region while South Africa is a powerhouse in the south.
“South Africa is a dominant country on the continent, but it’s been losing that on a few issues, including the economy not doing too well. Rwanda has aspirations to be a regional power in the Central African region, but that also intersects with South Africa’s sphere of influence,” said Corrigan.
“That puts the two countries on a collision course.”
Lamola said since the latest fighting escalated in December, multilateral organisations including the African Union's (AU) peace and security council have met. In these meetings South Africa has put forward its position for a ceasefire, the immediate cessation of hostilities, the allowance of humanitarian access and support to the civilian population.
Lamola said South Africa has also called for forces to cease supporting M23 immediately. He said Pretoria was concerned about the “possibility of a full-blown regional war”.
“For that reason, all institutions of the AU and Sadc including the East African community have a resolution of a tripartite engagement. As we speak now, there are forces coming from various groupings and angles, so you do need an intervention that is at a Sadc, AU and East African level to reach a ceasefire but also a long-term solution.
“Shooting or killing some of them [peacekeeping soldiers] are instances where it could constitute war crimes,” Lamola said, adding a Sadc meeting was scheduled for Thursday to deliberate further and map a way forward.
Corrigan said South Africa and Rwanda represented different governance ideals, with the former being a constitutional democratic state while Rwanda is a highly militarised authoritarian state.
People in Rwanda, he said, were fearful of their government, which is why the cities are almost always clean.
He said South Africa has always invested a lot in peacekeeping missions spanning as far back as 1994 and has been an authority on the continent when it comes to silencing the guns.
“Silencing the guns has been the biggest South African foreign policy. Now that pushes against Rwanda’s drive to expand its own influence, and South Africa can talk about being peacekeepers, but from Rwanda’s point of view they become enemies because they stand in the way of Rwanda's guerrilla army there,” said Corrigan.
“There have also been instances of Rwanda having allegedly killed opposition figures on South African soil. That sort of thing causes a great deal of ill feeling.”
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