# Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, is visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo. This trip forms part of the minister’s ongoing mission to prioritise the well-being and interests of South African soldiers in line with her “soldier first” principle. Motshekga aims to strengthen bilateral relations between South Africa and the DRC and assess the operational conditions and welfare of South African National Defence Force personnel deployed in the region. Since 2021, the Rwanda-backed M23 have periodically been fighting and taking control of vast swathes of eastern DRC.
Minister Motshekga in the DRC to assess operational conditions of SANDF personnel