South Africa’s military announced on Sunday that it had recalled a contingent of soldiers who were implicated in severe misconduct associated with sexual exploitation and abuse in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The eight individuals, who were serving as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission, were apprehended and restricted to their barracks in the eastern city of Beni earlier this month.
“Due to the serious nature of the allegations, the SANDF took a decision to recall the implicated soldiers back to South Africa to answer to the allegations and to give account of events that transpired,” the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said.
It was further indicated that investigators have been sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to carry out a thorough official investigation.
According to internal reports from the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), the soldiers in question may have been engaged in what was referred to as a “systematic widespread violation” of UN regulations.
Earlier this week, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric disclosed that MONUSCO had received reports indicating that the implicated personnel were engaging in socialising beyond curfew hours at an off-limits establishment known for facilitating transactional sex.
UN military police officers, dispatched to assess the situation at the premises, we”were physically assaulted and threatened by the contingent members,” when they attempted to apprehend the soldiers, he further explained.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) expressed its disappointment that Pretoria was not directly informed of the allegations and instead learned about them through media reports.
Since May, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has been urging SADC (Southern African Development Community) nations, including South Africa, to send support to the Congolese army in response to the M23 rebels’ occupation of significant portions of North Kivu province.
Kinshasa has additionally been advocating for an “accelerated” withdrawal of the UN force starting in December, alleging its failure to quell the violence perpetrated by armed groups during its 25-year tenure.
