OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 7.15pm.
SOUTH African fighter planes are violating Mozambican air space in the southern Gaza province, the Mozambican Interior Minister said on Friday.
Almerinho Manhenje told state radio his trip to the area was prompted by reports of frequent incursions into the country’s airspace by South African fighter jets. ”We have good relations with South Africa, therefore we feel this ought to be corrected as soon as possible for mutual benefit,” he said.
We shall notify the South African authorities soon,” he said. However, Manhenje said the acts should not be interpreted as provocation as the two countries have enjoyed excellent relations since the end of apartheid.
Mozambique plans to reopen the border post at Pafuri, to the north-east of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, which has not been used for more than 10 years, except by cross-border smugglers and arms traffickers.
The South African Air Force has responded by saying it will investigate the allegations. SAAF spokesperson Laverne Machin said on Friday evening that no scheduled flights over the area concerned had taken place in recent weeks.
”As far as we know no such violations took place, but we will certainly investigate the allegation,” Machin said, adding: ”There’s a remote possibility that training flights may have strayed into areas where they were not supposed to be.”
She said that if any SAAF pilots had willfully contravened air force regulations authorities would take appropriate action against them.