Arms ship 'not in SA waters'

2008-04-21 22:09

Durban - A Chinese ship carrying a shipment of arms and ammunition destined for Zimbabwe was not in South African territorial waters, said defence ministry spokesperson Themba Gadebe on Monday.

Reacting to a statement by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (Salc), which claimed the ship, An Yue Jiang, was "passing through South Africa's territorial waters in violation" of a Durban High Court order, he said: "We are keeping track of it and we are certain it is not in South Africa's territorial waters."

Earlier on Monday, he said: " The SA National Defence Force is updated on a regular basis through its maritime intelligence sources with regard to the ship's movements, and we will follow the best legal course of action should we be requested to act against the ship."

He would not say where the ship was located, except to say that earlier on Monday it was situated off the west coast of South Africa.

The An Yue Jiang lifted anchor off Durban on Friday night moments after the Durban High Court ordered it to dock in Durban and offload its controversial cargo into the custody of the sheriff of Durban.

The statement released by Salc director Nicole Fritz said: "The An Yue Jiang, carrying arms destined for Zimbabwe, has been spotted off the coast of South Africa and is en route to Lobito, Angola.

"At present, the ship is passing through South Africa's territorial waters in violation of Friday's court order and Salc calls on the defence force, in particular the navy, to stop the passage of the ship."

South African waters

She said the Durban High Court order suspended the operation of the conveyance order required for transfer of arms anywhere in South Africa, including its territorial waters.

She said that without the permit, which was issued on April 14 by defence secretary January Masilela, the ship was operating in violation of the National Conventional Arms Control Act.

She said, "South African authorities are required to stop the passage of this ship through South African waters and enforce Friday's court order.

"If they do not stop the ship, knowing that it is within South African waters and in breach of South African law, they provide tacit support and assistance for the transfer of these arms knowing that they are likely to be used in the commission of the worst sort of human-rights violations in Zimbabwe."

South Africa's territorial waters extend from the low tide mark along the coast to 12 nautical miles (about 22km) out to sea.

Earlier on Monday, Namibian port authorities said there had been no request by the vessel to dock in either of Namibia's two ports.

Didn't know where it was headed

Wessels Feris, acting manager for marketing and strategic business development at Namport, which operates the ports of Walvis Bay and Luderitz, said: "We have not had any request and there is no indication that she will come here."

Wang Kun Hu, the managing director of Cosren, said he did not know where the vessel was headed and said: "The ship has left Durban.

"We are checking with the owner on the next port of call. We are waiting for the information right now."

Cosren is a subsidiary of the China Ocean Shipping Group Company (Cosco), which owns the An Yue Jiang.

An official at Cosco Africa (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg said the managing director, only identified as Mr Lin, was in China at a shareholders' meeting.

In Johannesburg, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) called for an international boycott of the vessel.

Calling for boycott support

"Cosatu is doing everything possible to alert the international trade union movement to the danger to the workers of Zimbabwe if the cargo is allowed to be unloaded and delivered to Mugabe's forces.

"The federation is writing to its comrades in other federations, including those of Angola and China, to enlist their support for the international workers' boycott," said Cosatu in a statement.

SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) secretary general, Randall Howard, also called on trade unions and employers in all African countries to prevent the vessel from docking and to refuse to handle or transport its "lethal cargo".

- SAPA