Kagame To Ramaphosa: ‘If South Africa Wants Confrontation, We’ll Deal With It Any Day’

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has issued a strong warning of South Africa’s stance on the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), cautioning that Rwanda will not shy away from confrontation if necessary.

“…if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” Kagame said in a statement posted on X.

His comments come after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a warning to Rwandan forces, stating that continued hostilities against the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the DRC would be considered a declaration of war.

In a statement on Tuesday, Kagame accused Ramaphosa and his administration of distorting facts regarding their discussions on the ongoing crisis in the DRC. He claimed that public statements from South African officials contained “deliberate attacks and even lies.”

“Cyril Ramaphosa is pretending to be playing a peacemaker role in eastern DRC,” President Paul Kagame says. “And South Africa dares even issue threats?”

His statement also followed a virtual extraordinary meeting of East Africa Community leaders called to address the situation in eastern DRC. Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye and Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi missed the meeting.

Key Clarifications from Rwanda:

The highlights of his statement, Kagame said; The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) is a national army, not a militia, and SAMIDRC is a combat force, not a peacekeeping mission, that aligns with armed groups hostile to Rwanda; its deployment replaced the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), undermining peace efforts; Ramaphosa did not issue a warning to Rwanda but requested assistance for South African troops’ basic supplies; he also confirmed to Kagame that South African soldiers were killed by FARDC, not M23; and South Africa is not in a position to act as a peacemaker or mediator.

Escalating Tensions
Kagame concluded his statement with a pointed warning that if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will not hesitate to respond. His remarks raise concerns about the potential for increased hostilities between the two nations, which have diverging positions on the DRC conflict.

The situation in eastern DRC remains volatile, with M23 rebels continuing to challenge the Congolese government, and regional forces grappling with instability. The latest diplomatic friction between Rwanda and South Africa adds another layer of complexity to the crisis, potentially affecting broader regional relations.