SA troops may be sent to CAR

[iolsa]

A decision on whether South African soldiers would be redeployed  to the Central African Republic would be made later this week, a newspaper reported.

The Sunday Times reported that if troops were sent, they would be heading to the troubled country as peacekeepers this time, contributing to a 2000-strong Central Africa Multinational Force.

The force would support the transitional CAR government.

President Zuma told reporters at a summit in Chad on Thursday that he had received a "passionate plea" from the leaders of the Economic Community of Central African States (Eccas).

International Relations spokesman Clayson Monyela told the newspaper that government was considering the request.

Opposition party leaders called on parliament to scrutinise the decision closely.

The Democratic Alliance's David Maynier told the paper Zuma had misled parliament about reasons for the first deployment of SA troops to CAR, the paper reported.

Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said the move would be "unwise".

"To support peace doesn't mean you have to take weapons and go into another country," Lekota was quoted as saying.

In parliament earlier this week, Zuma said he would be extending  the deployment of more than 2000 troops to Sudan and the Democratic  Republic of Congo by another year the paper reported. - Sapa



IOLSA