Demand for SA mercenaries

2003-04-22 21:47

Erika Gibson

Johannesburg - South Africans are still being recruited as mercenaries despite the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) high-level investigation into ending the practice.

Recruitment is done from England to specifically enlist military experts for the protection of an oil pipeline in the Ukraine.

Informed sources say at least a hundred South Africans are involved in this recruitment drive, as well as in military assistance in Africa.

This assistance contravenes the law on the provision of foreign military assistance. The South Africans are apparently involved in military training in countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ivory Coast.

The mercenary ranks include helicopter pilots, onboard technicians and infantry soldiers. Sources say there is enough evidence to prove that South Africans were involved in military offensives in these countries.

Justice Minister Penuell Maduna recently told parliament that certain cases of mercenary action are being investigated to determine whether it is unlawful.

If these soldiers are found to be breaking the law, all those involved - in recruitment as well as deployment - will be prosecuted.

South Africans have apparently been instrumental in keeping President Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivory Coast in power despite faction fighting in that country.

Northbridge Services Group, a British company that has repeatedly been accused of recruiting and deploying mercenaries in Africa, recently denied in a statement that it's employees were involved in any undermining activities in other countries.

The company allegedly employs several South Africans. In the statement, the company claimed that it provided advice and training in military affairs, as well as specialised services such as the protection of national strategic points and senior government officials.

Northbridge denied that it was recruiting "thousands" of South Africans or that it was in any way involved in such recruitment.

- Beeld