Govt probing mercenary reports

2009-11-17 20:13

Pretoria - Reports that about 50 South African mercenaries are training the military junta in Guinea were being "closely" looked into, department of international relations and co-operation director-general Ayanda Ntsaluba said on Tuesday.

"Some of that information seems to point in that direction but we haven't got all the information yet. There are true and false leads," Ntsaluba said in Pretoria.

The allegations, largely circulated by the French media, suggest that the South Africans are training the military junta and recruiting soldiers on an ethnic basis.

It was also reported that South Africans were involved in arming the military with weapons from the Ukraine.

Civilians killed after protest

In December last year, Captain Moussa Camara took power of the country hours after the death of President Lansana Conte.

This year, more than 150 civilians were killed and others raped after an anti-government protest in Conakry, the capital.

Ntsaluba said it was worrying that with elections coming up next year and Camara planning to run for president the "carnage" could be repeated.

He said it would be "very significant" if South Africans were involved in the "nefarious" activities as they would undermine South Africa's policies and Constitution.

"We are trying to be cautious to try and establish the veracity of these claims," said Ntsaluba.
 

- SAPA