President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed 2 900 South African troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
They will be posted to the east of the country and will help combat rebel groups.
The deployment is part of the South African Development Community’s military deployment to the country, known as SAMIDRC.
Malawi and Tanzania will also be supplying troops.
The troops will be replacing an East African task force which left the country in December last year, as it was deemed to be ineffective.
The deployment will cost R2 billion and will last until December this year.