Navy ready to fight pirates
2008-12-03 09:40
Erika Gibson
Pretoria - The navy is ready to take action on behalf of Africa against Somali pirates, but is waiting for government to instruct them on such an operation.
It is a complicated situation, as Somalia has no officially recognised government and there are several legal implications that have to taken into consideration.
This was the conclusion that Vice-Admiral Johannes Mudimu, head of the Navy, reached at an information session in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Sam Mkhwanazi, the ministerial spokesperson, said the Presidency and the Department of Foreign Affairs were discussing the matter. Aspects like bilateral agreements had to be taken into account.
It had to be decided if South Africa was to act on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union or the United Nations.
Pirate attacks
An attack by Somali pirates on a passenger ship close to the country's coast was prevented over the weekend by a Danish war ship, assisted by a helicopter from a French war ship.
Denmark is currently leading the Nato navy in the area. Despite their presence, the pirates recently hijacked an Arabian oil tanker worth $100m (about $1bn) and sought ransom of $25m (about R260m).
The World Food Programme had asked the SA Navy to help patrol its aid supplies, which are being sent by ship to Somalia.
Rear Admiral Bernie Teuteberg, chief director of maritime strategy, said one company of soldiers in the navy's maritime reaction squadron had been trained.
The soldiers receive a combination of navy and army training and are then able to deploy with the squadron's boat and diving component as necessary.
The same squadron would become part of a SADC brigade planned to intervene in crisis situations in Africa.
UN resolutions
UN resolutions make provision for one country's navy to intervene in crisis countries without a recognised government (like Somalia). A country may also react if its property or its residents are being threatened.
A set of international rules of warfare in the Somali situation would make countries more amenable to intervention, said Teuteberg.
Russia is currently busy preparing a special task force to launch attacks on pirate bases to free hijacked ships.
- Beeld