REMOVAL OF FIREWOOD FROM PROTECTED AREA AGAINST POLICY: SANDF
The removal of firewood from protected areas was against its policy, the SA National Defence Force said on Thursday.
"It is against Department of Defence policy to remove firewood from protected areas and we're investigating the allegations," spokesman Lt Colonel Louis Kirstein said.
The investigation follows allegations that soldiers removed as much as 15 tons of firewood from the Madimbo corridor in northern Limpopo, on the Zimbabwe border, for a Christmas braai.
Kirstein said part of the investigation would be into the amount of wood allegedly removed.
"We don't know if 15 tons were removed. A 15 ton truck was seen in the area, but that doesn't mean 15 tons of wood were removed."
On Tuesday a game ranger in the area, Jack Greeff, said local residents members were outraged because they had often been "persecuted" by army personnel for gathering wood in the area.
He said the same person who had been known to arrest local people for gathering wood was involved in removing the wood.
The local people's cars, equipment and donkey carts had been confiscated if they were caught gathering wood.
Greeff said if 15 tons of firewood were indeed used for a braai, it was "immoral and illegal".
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26 Janvier 2006 à 16:12 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
