Kagame's comments clearly suggested that he wants South Africa to back off from DR Congo, where its military involvement dates back to the late 1990s. It first joined the UN's peacekeeping mission, Monusco, following the end of the racist system of apartheid in 1994.

Expert defends South Africa's presence in the DRC, emphasising its role in regional peacekeeping efforts and the protection of national interests.

M23 fighters, who the UN and several nations say are backed by Rwanda, have made substantial gains in eastern DRC, taking the major city of Goma last week and vowing to march on the capital, Kinshasa,