JOHANNESBURG – South Africa received R213 million from the United Nations (UN) and R474 million from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) between April and November 2024 for peacekeeping missions. These payments, tied to operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), are now under scrutiny for shortfalls and irregularities.
The UN’s payment was made for South Africa’s participation in the MONUSCO mission in the DRC, according to a written response to a Parliamentary question by Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Chris Hattingh. He indicated plans to investigate the performance of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployments and the financial arrangements for these operations.
Discrepancies in UN payments over recent years were detailed in Defence Minister Angie Motshekga’s response. Between 2019 and 2024, South Africa billed the UN R3.217 billion but received R2.890 billion, leaving a shortfall of R327 million. The response attributed the gap to penalties and deductions for non-compliance with UN agreements on equipment standards.
Payments from SADC also raised concerns, with R474 million received for operations in the DRC and Mozambique, including the now-ended SAMIM mission. However, there is no formal reimbursement agreement in place for SANDF deployments under SADC, according to the response.
The Department of Defence (DoD) continues efforts to recover outstanding payments, but delays persist due to the UN’s reliance on contributions from member states. Payment timing remains inconsistent, adding strain to South Africa’s peacekeeping operations.
Hattingh is expected to seek further clarity on these issues when Parliament reconvenes later this month.
