In a bitter reaction to the statement credited to South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa over the killing of 13 SA soldiers in Goma by M23 rebels, Rwanda President, Paul Kagame has talked tough over President Ramaphosa description of Rwanda Defence Force, RDF as a militia group working with M23 and the SA President’s threat: reshared and commented on President Cyril Ramaphosa X social media post published on Wednesday, accused South Africa of being a party in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo who always launch offensive operations against M23 rebels, only trying to manipulate the public by thus falsely claiming to be a peacekeeper in a war the SA has joined hands to escalate, this, as hundreds of Romania mercenaries contracted to fight against M23 rebels ceded or surrendered to M23 rebels in the present of the rebels spokesperson, Willy Ngoma in Goma who was seen in videos warning and cautioning the Romanians never to come to Congo to fight against them before the Romanians were transported to Rwanda for further assistance to their country.

Willy Ngoma could be seen in one of the videos published online talking to the European mercenaries in Goma that; “Don’t joke with M23, my bro; that’s the army for the people”.

M23 leader, Corneille Nangaa in a video interview said; “We have come to Goma to stay. We are not going to withdraw, but we will move forward from Goma… up to Kinshasa.”

Adding that the rebel group’s plan is  to march to DR Congo’s capital, Kinshasa to oust the government of President Felix Tshisekede.

Corneille Nangaa says President Tshisekede has cut off power and internet in Goma, urging residents to return to their homes and resume daily life.

Local media reported that M23 fighters have taken control of several streets and they are currently managing the security situation in Goma.

Some residents were seen taking selfies with the fighters and one of the videos saw the M23 Spokesperson, Willy Ngoma posing with the residents in a joyous mood.

VOA reported that although relative calm has returned to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city, the main roads still bear the marks of conflict, with military trenches, spent bullets, improvised explosive devices and beer bottles scattered around.

Some businesses remain closed as residents wait to see what actions M23 will take. Many are calling for the restoration of essential services like water, electricity and the internet, hoping to resume normal life under the group’s rule, according to VOA.

On Wednesday, while fighting in the city had largely eased, intermittent gunfire continued in the Goma’s northern areas, including Katoyi, Mabanga, Majengo, Kibwe and Turunga, where the situation “remains tense”, according to local DRC media outlets.

Aljazeera reported that, in a heated address at the emergency East African Community (EAC) summit on January 27, 2025, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda criticized South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s involvement in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis.

Kagame accused Ramaphosa of feigning a peacemaker role, stating, “Cyril Ramaphosa is pretending to be playing a peacemaker role in eastern DRC.”

He further challenged South Africa’s stance, saying; “And South Africa dares even issue threats?”.

Kagame also directed criticism towards DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, Angolan President, João Lourenço, and former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta for their roles in the ongoing conflict.

The summit was convened to address the escalating situation in Goma, where M23 rebels have seized control, leading to a significant humanitarian concerns.

“Mr Chairman, Your Excellencies, I want us, that for whatever we are saying and whatever we intend to do, we capture the context rightly and then proceed based on that, and maybe we can get somewhere.

Otherwise if we keep saying good things to each other, being nice, and then each one fulfilling their own interests other than the common interests we have as East Africans, then I don’t see how we are going to contribute effectively to finding a solution.

The other day, two or three days ago, we lost people, there was a lot of shelling from eastern Congo, from Goma, killed a dozen people and injured hundreds. We will definitely take care of that, there is no question about it.” President Kagame said as posted on his verified Facebook page at the Extra Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State on Eastern DRC.

“Even if all of us were doing everything right, nothing is going to come out of it, until those mainly concerned are also part of it, participating and contributing to the success of the process through which they are getting the support.” President Kagame added.

South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa in a statement on his X social media on Wednesday said as presented below in quote; “Fellow South Africans, following the recent intensification of fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa has lost 13 brave soldiers who were dedicated to their mission and committed to peace.

The fighting is the result of an escalation by the rebel group M23 and Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) militia engaging the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and attacking peacekeepers from the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).

On behalf of the government and the people of our country, I express our sincerest condolences to their families, their loved ones and colleagues. We bow our heads in honor of their heroic and gallant fight for peace. We honour and mourn them.

All necessary support is being provided to the families of the deceased and the families of the injured. The process to repatriate the remains of the deceased is underway.

The attacks on peacekeepers resulted in the deaths of SAMIDRC members from other troop contributing countries, namely, Malawi and Tanzania, as well members of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MoNUSCO) brigade. We honour all the lives that were lost and pass our condolences to their families, governments and citizens. The situation in Goma and Sake, where our troops and their counterparts are stationed, remains very tense, volatile and unpredictable.

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Ms Angie Motshekga and the Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya and SAMIDRC Force Commander, Major General Monwabisi Dyakopu are working to ensure that the SAMIDRC forces remain well equipped and sufficiently supported during this critical mission.

We are concerned about the speculation about the state of our troops and the battle conditions. All South Africans must rally behind our brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to bringing peace in our continent.

South Africa’s military presence in the eastern DRC is not a declaration of war against any country or state. The members of the South African National Defence Force that are in the DRC are part of both SADC and United Nations efforts to bring peace and protect thousands of lives that are constantly threatened by the conflict in the DRC. The presence of the SAMIDRC forces demonstrates a commitment of SADC member states to supporting the DRC in its efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability and ultimately, create an enabling environment for sustainable development and prosperity.

We welcome the position that was recently adopted by the United Nations Security Council during its special sitting on the situation in the DRC, which calls for an immediate end to hostilities, the reversal of territorial expansion by the M23, the exit of external forces from the DRC and the resumption of peace talks under the Nairobi Process.

The territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected in accordance with the United Nations Charter on the respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other states.

We call on all parties to this conflict to fully embrace the current diplomatic efforts that are aimed at finding a peaceful resolution, including honoring the Luanda Process agreements. We must silence the guns on our continent for the attainment of inclusive development and prosperity. I thank you”.

In quick response on Wednesday, Rwanda President, Paul Kagame took to his verified X social media handle and confronted the South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa in a statement stated below thus:

“I held two conversations this week with President Ramaphosa on the situation in Eastern DRC, including earlier today. What has been said about these conversations in the media by South African officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies. 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.

A few important clarifications for the record: 1. The Rwanda Defence Force is an army, not a militia.

2. SAMIDRC is not a peacekeeping force, and it has no place in this situation. It was authorized 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.

3. SAMIDRC displaced a true peacekeeping force, the East African Community Regional Force, and this contributed to the failure of the negotiation processes.

4. 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.

5. President Ramaphosa confirmed to me that M23 did not kill the soldiers from South Africa, FARDC did.

6. 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”.

We had on Wednesday reported that over 1,200 men of the Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo have ceded or surrendered Goma, the country’s largest city to M23 rebels with DRC military uniforms flooding the streets after they pulled off the army attires and took refuge at UN Peacekeeping military base leaving South Africa soldiers to continue to fight on, but South Africa military formation in Congo on Tuesday issued a statement denying that its men did not surrender to M23 rebels, insisting that the White flag hoisted by one of his soldiers on Monday during heavy gun battle with the rebels was normal military tradition for both sides to ceasefire to enable the South Africa troops passage to receive medical supply and as well give room to the M23 rebels the opportunity to rescue their men injured in front of the South Africa military base near Goma Airport, this, as thousands of pro government protesters attacked and burnt some portions of US, French, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and other foreign embassies in Kinshasa.

We had on Monday reported that thousands of prisoners at Munzenze Prison facility in Goma, the capital city of North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have set themselves free after M23 rebels took control of Goma early morning on Monday with videos posted online showing civilians flooding back to Goma and welcoming the M23 rebels in a rousing manner.

Earlier on Monday, we also reported that one of the most troubled countries in Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo government has begged civilian residents in the country to flood streets today Monday, 27 January 2025 just as M23 rebels are now in control of Goma, after killing the Congolese military commander, over nine South Africa soldiers, a total of 12 UN Peacekeepers, forcing other Congolese soldiers to surrender their weapons before the 3:00am Monday 27, 2025 deadline set.

We had earlier in the month reported that M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo early this year advanced and seized the town of Masisi, same period the Congolese government sent 172 death row prisoners to executioners with 102 already confirmed executed while the government kept mum on the third batch of 70 prisoners including the May 19, 2024 37 coup plotters who were convicted and sentenced to death in September, 2024 just as the country Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba threatened journalists with death penalty if they relayed the activities of armed group he described as Rwanda army and its M23 auxiliaries.