SA soldiers blamed of sex abuse

2004-07-12 15:33

Johanneswburg - The defence ministry says it has no knowledge of a United Nations report detailing sexual attacks on minors by South African soldiers stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

There have been allegations of 50 cases of sexual attacks on minors carried out by Monuc, the United Nations mission to the DRC, in Bunia in the north-east of the country over the past year.

Defence ministry spokesperson Sam Mkwanazi said on Monday he could not comment on the allegations as the ministry had not seen the report.

"We are still trying to find the report. If there is someone who can point to where we can get it that would help. We are busy trying to get in touch with the United Nations now... we can't comment until we see the report," he said.

"They are talking about Bunia and we (South Africa) have never had troops in Bunia," he added.

Integrity questioned

The Democratic Alliance questioned whether the defence ministry had been totally unaware about the allegations.

"If they were not aware, why had they not been made aware by the commanders of South African troops on the ground?" asked DA defence spokesperson Rafeek Shah.

Shah said the allegations brought South Africa's integrity into question.

"By becoming involved in this sort of criminal activity, if indeed the allegations are correct, the troop's entire role and reason for being in the DRC are undermined."

He said the guilty parties should be dealt with swiftly so that the reputation of South African troops in the DRC was not further tarnished.

The DA would table questions in parliament on the issue.

Male interpreter molested

The Star newspaper reported on Monday that a South African colonel in Goma allegedly sexually molested his young male interpreter. Investigations by the UN found that he had requested male interpreters under the age of 18 since the start of his mission.

He was repatriated to South Africa, but there was no indication that he was investigated or prosecuted on his return.

The UN probe follows an investigation by The Independent in London, and a cable sent last month from the Monuc office in Kinshasa to the UN headquarters in New York detailing sexual abuses against minors.

A second cable was sent, recording a further four allegations and adding that special attention must be paid to the behaviour of South African Monuc troops in Kindu, Moroccan Monuc troops in Kinsangani and Monuc troops from Uruguay, Pakistan and Nepal.

- SAPA