Reacting to what it calls ”wild claims” by opposition parties over a shipment of arms for Haiti, government on Thursday issued a statement on behalf of National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) chairperson Kader Asmal ”to put this matter to rest”.
This follows an announcement by the Democratic Alliance on Wednesday that it has asked the National Prosecuting Authority to investigate whether government had broken the law by trying to send a consignment of small arms to the Caribbean state.
Government communications (GCIS) quoted Asmal as saying the NCACC had considered the matter of the arms shipment on February 26, following an appeal to President Thabo Mbeki from Caricom (the Caribbean Community) three days earlier.
”The committee followed the requirements of the NCACC Act and applied the relevant criteria as required, as it has done since its inception eight years ago.
”In reviewing the request from a legitimate regional body, the committee agreed to the transfer, as it met the standards of contributing to regional security, which was the basis of the request from Caricom.”
Further, the transfer of arms would help protect the sovereignty of a United Nations member country.
”The committee agreed to the transfer to assist the Haitian government in strengthening their internal capacity to maintain peace and security, with a clear understanding that the items would only be used for the purpose for which they were intended.
”Following the meeting, the minister, on behalf of the Minister of Defence and the NCACC, then provided the requisite authorisation to the South African Police Service, on 28 February, to deliver the materiel to the government of Jamaica, acting on behalf of Caricom,” GCIS said.
On Wednesday, DA leader Tony Leon said he had asked National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, to investigate the matter. – Sapa