In this episode of Born Free we dive into a complex but critical question why is South Africa so deeply involved in the Democratic Republic of Congo from peacekeeping missions to economic deals from political alliances to military deployments South Africas presence in the DRC is not new but it raises many questions
It began in the early 2000s post apartheid South Africa was positioning itself as a continental leader pushing for peace and stability especially after the horrors of the Rwandan genocide and years of war in Central Africa the DRC was struggling with armed groups weak governance and regional interference and South Africa stepped in as part of the Southern African Development Community and the African Union
But this involvement has not been without cost or controversy South African troops have been deployed under MONUSCO and other missions to help stabilize the eastern DRC they have fought rebel groups patrolled volatile zones and tried to protect civilians yet many ask what is the end goal and what does South Africa gain
The answer lies in a mix of diplomacy economics and history South Africa sees the DRC as key to African peace and prosperity a stable Congo means a stable region and for a country with mining companies eyeing the rich minerals of the DRC especially cobalt and copper there is also an economic interest
There are partnerships between the two governments in trade energy and infrastructure projects and political solidarity plays a role too South Africa supports African solutions to African problems and sees its leadership in Congo as part of that vision
But critics argue the missions lack transparency that the human and financial cost is rising and that ordinary Congolese have seen little change armed groups still operate civilians still suffer and trust in foreign troops remains low
We hear from peacekeepers activists and experts in this episode and we ask is South Africas involvement helping or hurting what does it mean for regional power dynamics and what do young Africans think of these interventions
Stay tuned as Born Free explores the legacy of liberation movements the weight of responsibility and the challenges of peace in a troubled region
