Rwandan President Paul Kagame has hit out against South Africa as conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues, with choice words for President Cyril Ramaphosa after South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members died in the conflict.

Kagame said South Africa was in no position to take on the role of peacemaker or mediator, claiming that statements made by Ramaphosa following their conversation on the conflict contained distortion, deliberate attacks, and lies.

Kagame held two conversations with Ramaphosa this week on the situation in eastern DRC, including earlier on Wednesday.

Ramaphosa on Wednesday broke his silence on the death of the SANDF soldiers, following criticism from opposition parties on his silence.

Last week 13 SANDF members were killed by M23 rebels in DRC.

Ramaphosa explained that the fighting was 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 Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), which the SANDF soldiers were part of.

However, Kagame highlighted that Ramaphosa confirmed to him that M23 did not kill the soldiers from South Africa, and that instead Armed Forces of the DRC did.

“If words can change so much from a conversation to a public statement, it says a lot about how these very important issues are being managed. 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. And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” he stated.

He clarified that the Rwanda Defence Force was an army, not a militia, also pointing out that the SAMIDRC was not a peacekeeping force, saying it had no place in the conflict.

“It was authorised by SADC as a belligerent force engaging in offensive combat operations to help the DRC government fight against its own people, working alongside genocidal armed groups like FDLR which target Rwanda, while also threatening to take the war to Rwanda itself,” said Kagame.

He added that the SAMIDRC displaced a “true peacekeeping force”, the East African Community Regional Force, and this contributed to the failure of the negotiation processes.

“President Ramaphosa has never given a ‘warning’ of any kind, unless it was delivered in his local language which I do not understand. He did ask for support to ensure the South African force has adequate electricity, food and water, which we shall help communicate,” Kagame said.

Meanwhile, the Presiding Officers of Parliament commended Ramaphosa for initiating dialogue with his Rwandan and DRC counterparts, Kagame and President Félix Tshisekedi, to find a solution to the escalating conflict.

The Presiding Officers noted that diplomatic engagement remained a crucial tool in resolving complex regional challenges.

“…and we are hopeful that through the collective efforts of SADC and the African Union, an urgent and sustainable resolution will be found. The need for long-lasting peace and stability in the region has never been more pressing, and we urge all stakeholders to intensify efforts towards a peaceful settlement,” said the Presiding Officers.