South Africa’s government must enforce the law prohibiting mercenaries from taking part in foreign military conflicts if it wants to retain its credibility to maintain peace in Africa, the Democratic Alliance said on Monday.
”Failure to enforce this legislation would seriously undermine government’s credibility in its commitment to peace in the region,” DA representative on defence Hendrik Schmidt said.
He said it was alarming that South Africa’s mercenaries were reported to have been deployed in the conflict in the Ivory Coast. The DA would ask foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
whether any authorisation for mercenary assistance was granted, Schmidt said.
”South African law prohibits mercenary assistance to foreign militaries and it is not at all clear whether the SA government is choosing to enforce or to disregard its responsibility.”
Schmidt’s comments came after weekend reports suggested that South Africa’s mercenaries could be on both sides of the conflict in the Ivory Coast.
Some of the mercenaries could have died when a helicopter purportedly piloted by South Africans was brought down.
Foreign affairs department representative Ronnie Mamoepa said last month that the government was investigating whether Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo hired South Africa’s mercenaries to help his troops in the conflict.
Schmidt said: ”It is not clear which activities South African mercenaries may be involved with in the Ivory Coast.
”South Africa will be failing in its commitment to peace if South Africans are involved in any such human rights violations in the Ivory Coast.”
He said South Africa’s Constitution stated that the resolve to live in peace and harmony precluded any South African citizen from participating in armed conflict. – Sapa