Syndicates dealing in weapons, especially AK47 assault rifles, are operating along South Africa’s border with Lesotho, Safety and Security minister Charles Nqakula said on Monday.
”We have information at our disposal of big syndicates trading and transporting assault rifles, small firearms and drugs in that area,” he said in Pretoria.
Speaking at a meeting between South African inter-ministerial security committee members and their Lesotho counterparts, the minister said it was not known at this stage where the weapons came from.
”We are aware that during the wars in the Southern Africa Development Community region, like the liberation armed conflict in South Africa, most of these weapons were used,” he said.
”But we are investigating a possibility that these weapons are stored in our shores.” Nqakula said Monday’s meeting had looked at how the two countries could cooperate to deal with, among other things, rampant stock theft and passport scams.
”South Africa has so far resolved to step up security in that area,” he said.
He said security personnel deployed at the border would be changed because some of them had become corrupt.
”Thieves, especially stock thieves, who come across illegally over the border somehow have relations with our authorities there.”
Nqakula said there were incidents of violence relating to stock theft.
”We have discovered through our investigations that this matter is no longer about small and petty thieves who go across and steal livestock.
”If someone, for instance, wants to buy dagga and does not have cash, they steal livestock and use it as a measure of exchange for that dagga,” Nqakula said.
”When they undertake such an exercise they are well armed.” He said the question of small arms that were being used during stock theft was also receiving some attention at the meeting.
Nqakula said police would be responsible for border gate duties and army units would assist them from time to time.
”We are going to put people there who understand the necessity of the deployment, people who are going to have high levels of commitment and loyalty.” – Sapa