Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

Le chef d'état-Major de l'Armée Sud-Africaine, le lieutenant Solly Zacharia Shoke, en séjour en Angola depuis dimanche dernier, a effectué mardi une visite de travail dans la province de Cunene, dans le sud du pays.

Cette visite, la deuxième, après celle de Cabinda, dans l'extrême-nord de l'Angola, s'inscrit dans le cadre du renforcement de la coopération et d'échange d'expérience entre les armées angolaises et sud-africaines.

Solly Zacharia s'est fait accompagner du chef d'état-Major adjoint de l'Armée angolaise, le général Jorge Barros "Nguto", et les hauts gradés des Forces Armées angolaises et sud-africaines

The case of an SA National Defence Force clerk accused of diverting over R1 million of SANDF money to her children's bank accounts was postponed in a Pretoria court on Monday.

The woman made her first appearance in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday on a charge of making over-payments of about R1.1 million for non-existent SANDF reservists to her children's bank accounts.

She applied for bail, which was denied, and is to appear again on May 3 for another bail application, a court official said.

The woman was arrested on Friday and remains in custody.

A restraint order was issued on the woman, her three step-children and her two biological children, and some of their assets were seized, said the National Prosecuting Authority.

Her five children appeared on fraud charges at the court on Friday and were released on R5000 bail.

The assets included properties in Pretoria, six vehicles, a 125cc Honda motorbike, an insurance policy, pension benefits and numerous bank accounts.

The woman was employed from 1993 at the SA Defence Force, which later became the SANDF, as a senior administration clerk responsible for capturing information of army reservists being called up for courses and training sessions on the SANDF salary system.

During another investigation it was discovered that the woman allegedly created the impression that part-time army reservists were called up to attend courses or training sessions, knowing that this was untrue.

On completing their fictitious attendance, the woman used her own banking details as well as the details of her children.

Five children of an SA National Defence Force (SANDF) administration clerk appeared on fraud charges in a Pretoria court on Friday, the National Prosecuting Authority said.

Their mother will also appear in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday on a charge of making over-payments of about R1.1 million for non-existent SANDF reservists to her children's bank accounts.

A restraint order was issued on the woman, her three step-children and her two biological children and some of their assets were seized, said the NPA.

The assets included properties in Pretoria, six vehicles, a 125cc Honda motorbike, an insurance policy, pension benefits and numerous bank accounts.

The woman was employed from 1993 at the SA Defence Force, which later became the SANDF, as a senior administration clerk responsible for capturing information of army reservists being called up for courses and training sessions on the SANDF salary system.

During another investigation it was discovered that the woman allegedly created the impression that part-time army reservists were called up to attend courses or training sessions, knowing that this was untrue.

On completing their fictitious attendance, the woman used her own banking details as well as the details of her children.

South Africa's new submarine that arrived home on Friday, has been named the "Manthatisi" after a Batlokwa chieftainess, defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota announced on Friday.

Lekota said Cabinet decided that the submarines will be named after South African heroines.

"This year is the 50th anniversary of the Women's March against pass laws in 1956. In order to celebrate this historic occasion .. the S101 will be named 'Manthatisi'. Chieftainess Manthatisi was a gallant fighter of the Batlokwa clan. I am pleased to announce that Chief Lekunutu Mmota of the Batlokwa is with us here today to grace the occasion," Lekota said at a ceremonyy marking the end of the boat's 49-day delivery cruise from Germany.

Lekota also reminded the ship's company in particular and the Navy in general of the boat's role.

"To the Chief of the Navy and the SA Navy in general, and to the officer commanding and crew of S101 whose special day this is in particular, I would like to remind you of the following: Your readiness is key if the department is to succeed in its support to Government's diplomatic initiatives to help eradicate conflicts in the region and continent as well as contributing meaningfully to the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA).

"As I have already mentioned, the SANDF (SA National Defence Force) is contributing a large number of its members to peacekeeping missions of the African Union and the United Nations. We do this because we are convinced that our peace, security and stability as well as our economic prosperity is linked to that of the region and the continent," Lekota said.

"Working with our neighbours in the region, South Africa is, and will always be ready, to play a role in support of democracy and democratic processes in the region and continent.

"Your commander in chief, President Thabo Mbeki, myself, the Secretary for Defence, the chief of the SA National Defence Force, General Godfrey Ngwenya, and the country, are confident that the crew will utilize the submarine .. professionally, efficiently and effectively.

"It is with these sentiments therefore that I charge you all to continue with the excellent service you have been rendering to our country. To S101, I welcome you to the fleet with the knowledge that you are fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead. I commend you on your achievements thus far and wish S101 many successful deployments and a long and illustrious career in the service of both the SA Navy and the people of our country," Lekota said.

South Africa ordered three Class 209 Type 1400 MOD diesel-electric submarines together with the associated logistic support products, services and equipment including simulators, test equipment, training, documentation and spares in 1999.

In addition, in order to ensure the effective transfer of technology and the ability for the new submarines to be locally supported, a resident in-country support team will be based in Simon's Town for a five-year period.

The submarines replace three French-built Daphne class submarines in use since the 1970s and retired in 2003.

The submarines, known as the Spear class from 1999 were known as the SAS Maria van Riebeeck, SAS Johanna van der Merwe and SAS Emily Hobhouse, arguably all Afrikaner heroines.

The Manthatisi's first captain, Commander Gary Brian Kretschmer, was appointed the officer commanding of the SAS Assegaai - the former Johanna van der Merwe - on April 30, 2003.

"I had the privilege of being the last officer commanding of a Daphne class submarine and have the privilege of being the first officer commanding of the Navy's new Class 209 submarine," Kretschmer said in a Navy press release.

Kretschmer joined the Navy in 1981, initially as a rating.

He became an officer in 1988 and attended the Kommandanten Lehergang, the German Navy's submarine officer commanding's course from January 2002.

During this tough course, he had to command a German submarine and crew, with confidence, in German.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is transforming into a crusade that saves lives.

Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota says South Africa's peace keeping mission in the African region now forms one of the core functions of SADF.

"Peacekeepers need to be trained in a range of skills that articulate responsibilities that go beyond the comfort zone of the military base and military barracks," he said.

He said that the challenges faced by SANDF members in their peace mission were such that they could not be overcome by military training alone.

"In the current scenario, and for the foreseeable future, or greatest and most urgent enemies are poverty, underdevelopment and environmental degradation.

"We understand that the roots of conflict on our continent arise from these problems," he said.

Mr Lekota said any SANDF preparations before engaging in any of these missions should aim at culminating of the defeat of these evils.

"And to be successful we need a more flexible force, a force which is multi skilled," he said.

As part of its effort to bring peace and stability in the African Continent, the Department of Defence has deployed soldiers in troubled countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and the Comoros.

However, Mr Lekota said SANDF experiences from the various peace keeping missions across the continent demonstrated that there was a need to transform SANDF.

To be more effective in its peace missions, Mr Lekota said the army had embarked on a transformation exercise, Vision 2020.

"Army vision 2020 is an in-house plan to address the transformation of the biggest component of the SANDF.

"It is our belief that it will reach maturity in 2020," he said.

Three men were killed by armed robbers posing as members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Butterworth on Sunday morning, police said.

In the first incident, two men dressed in combat uniform robbed a woman of her cellphone, money, groceries and clothing at Cuba Township around 2am. Her 25-year-old son, Bulelani Tshetu was shot dead when he went to investigate, said Eastern Cape police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha.

"While police were still busy at the scene... two other people were shot and killed near Vulley Valley High School, also at Cuba Township," he said.

Four men returning from an event at Walter Sisulu University at around 4am, were approached by three SANDF impostors who demanded their cellphones.

Despite attempts to run away, Khulile Kwesaba, 21, and Simpiwe Tsipa, 26, were shot and killed.

Manatha said the other two youths successfully escaped the attack.

"We appeal to our people to be careful of these bogus soldiers," Manatha said.

The gunmen had not been arrested.