THURSDAY, 8.00AM
DEFENCE MINISTER Joe Modise put on a spectacular fireworks display for delegates to a world anti-landmine conference, detonating the first of 4 700 mines at the remote Alkantpan army base in the Northern Cape.
South Africa will destroy some R39-million worth of landmines in 18 more explosions over a five-month period ending in October. Some 9 000kg of explosives will be used, at a cost of R1,2-million.
At the main conference near Johannesburg yesterday, 41 out of Africa’s 52 countries agreed to take steps by June 2 — the date of the next OAU summit — to draw up polices to ban landmines, clear existing landmines, assist landmine victims and appeal for international assistance.
Britain’s new Labour Party government expressed its solidarity with the conference by announcing that Britain will destroy its entire landmine stockpile by the year 2005.