DA wants answers about the deployment of troops in CAR

Mluleki Mrwebi
26 August 2013

The Democratic Alliance today reported that there were secret deals made between President Jacob Zuma and former Central African Republic President, Francois Bozize to send additional South African National Defence Force troops to the CAR.

DA Member of Parliament of Defence & Military Veterans David Maynier said this raises more questions about what really happened in the Central African Republic and what our troops were doing there in the first place.

Maynier further said the DA reiterates the call for a parliamentary ad hoc committee to be established to investigate why our troops were in the CAR and whether President Zuma misled Parliament.

This comes after more than 13 soldiers were killed in the CAR earlier this year.

Maynier also said former President Bozize has alleged that he made a secret deal with President Zuma to send additional troops to the CAR in order to hold back the Seleka rebels. The President, however, informed Parliament that the reason for the deployment was to: "assist with capacity building of the CAR Defence Force and will also assist that country with planning and implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Re-integration process."