Sixty-four alleged mercenaries — including 61 who returned home on Sunday after being released from Zimbabwe — will be prosecuted, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday.
The NPA said the decision to charge the men followed investigations into whether they had contravened the Regulations of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
”The NPA is now in the process of identifying a court date in the next 20 days on which the men will appear to face the charges,” NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said.
He said the group includes two men who returned to South Africa a few months ago and one man who is still in the custody of Zimbabwean authorities.
”He is expected to return to the country soon,” Nkosi said.
He said under the Regulations of Foreign Military Assistance Act, South Africans or any persons based in the country are prohibited from getting involved in mercenary activities without the permission of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee.
”The same law also prohibits the involvement of South African citizens or residents or anybody operation from South Africa from taking part in the military overthrow of any government,” Nkosi said. — Sapa