JOHANNEBSURG - Over a thousand SANDF troops in Eastern DRC are in a dire situation. Reports have surfaced that they're running out of food and supplies and want to come home.
The state of South African troops is in the spotlight, after 14 members were killed last month,
and others injured, in Goma.
A message sent to eNCA, clearly states that the soldiers are desperate to come home.
READ: DRC conflict | Critically wounded soldiers back home from DRC
Communication from the troops exposes the lack of support and direction from South African authorities. Troops are struggling with lack of food and access to much needed supplies.
Army union SANDU has been getting the same messages, of soldiers in distress.
"They are not safe, the situation is too volatile, the truth of the matter is, they are now bargaining chips in a greater scheme of things, especially because they are surrounded, there is no way of getting them out there to extract them especially in a military sense," says Pikkie Greeff from SANDU.
On the 16th of February, Deputy President Paul Mashatile told eNCA the reason why South African troops are in the DRC is because of peacekeeping.
But soldiers have been told that this is peace enforcement mission, very different to what the Deputy President, and Defence Minister told the nation.