The new minister of safety and security (SS) and former chief spy Peter Tshirumbu-Tseehama is accompanying a SADC military delegation to the Democratic Republic of Congo since (DRC) Thursday, 12 May to inspect demobilisation centres for former rebels for a few days. According to news reports in South Africa, the mission is lead by Patrick Lekota, South African defence minister. Lekota. South Africa holds the chair of the SADC organ on politics, security and defence and thus Minister Lekota heads the inter-state defence and security council. Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe were the three allied nations who fought in the DRC from 1998 to 2000 in support of late Laurent Kabila, who made himself president of the country. After a brokered peace deal, the UN has sent over 10,000 troops to the DRC, 1,500 are from South Africa.