The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel deployed in Goma, DRC, are reportedly living on only one meal a day and currently lack internet and communication services due to the lines being cut off.

Providing details on the developments in the Goma area, a senior SANDF official told IOL that the troops were not entirely out of harm’s way but said the situation had calmed down after 13 of their peacekeeping troops were killed in Goma.

He stated that there had been excessive looting in the area and that the entire Goma airport building roof sheets had been vandalised or removed, and the SANDF base was still safe.

“The communications are essentially cut off; they do not have an internet network, but they do have power. At this stage, the fighting stopped, and the Rwandan forces took over the Goma airport and are monitoring the situation.

“They still have their weapons with them to ensure the area is not looted. At the base, there is no food supply. However, they still have the food they had kept in the pantry… so at least they can cook and eat one meal daily on top of the cereal they have in the morning.

“I am sharing this with everyone, so you know what is happening on the other side. The soldiers deployed in Goma communicated via satellite phone because the communications were cut off. They are a bit concerned because not a lot of people are communicating with them on what the next step is, but I think they are fairly safe at this stage because the Rwandans indicated they are not fighting with us at this stage,” he said.

Among the immediate challenges faced by troops, he stated that although there was still minimal food available, toilet facilities had become a problem since the company servicing them could not attend to the facility.

He further reported that the vandals physically removed some of the aircraft at the Goma airport.

Following the killing of the 13 troops, tensions rose between Pretoria and Kigali following earlier reports that Rwandan-backed M23 forces were responsible.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame fired shots at President Cyril Ramaphosa and government officials, accusing them of “lying” and “distorting” earlier talks between the two statesmen, further straining already tense relations between Kigali and Pretoria.

Kagame’s remarks followed South Africa’s condemnation of the M23 rebel offensive in eastern DRC, which Pretoria claimed was backed by Rwandan militia.