Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

A SERIES of raids by the Scorpions this week have thrust a media-shy Johannesburg billionaire into the spotlight.

So little is known about Fana Hlongwane, a former freedom fighter who became an arms pedlar, that it is only the trappings of his wealth that sets tongues wagging in his tiny circle of powerful acquaintances and beautiful women.

“Styles”, as he is also known, is renowned for his rap star-like lifestyle and his penchant for beautiful women, Cuban cigars and Dom Pérignon champagne.

On Wednesday, the Scorpions swooped on the 49-year-old lawyer’s homes and businesses as part of a massive new investigation into corruption in the country’s arms deal.

Hlongwane has not been arrested or charged in any arms deal-related cases. But it appears that the source of the money he uses to fund his extravagant tastes has come back to haunt him.

The elite unit acted on claims by the British Serious Fraud Office that billions of rands worth of kickbacks or illegal commissions were paid by the UK-based defence giant, BAE Systems, to individuals or companies in South Africa.

Apart from being chairman of a large defence- and arms-related business, Hlongwane owns a 30% stake in LSM Distributors, the company that has exclusive rights to import Porsche vehicles to Southern Africa.

It is probably not surprising, then, that the man has a luxury car for just about every day of the week.

His personal fleet includes a R4-million Lamborghini Murcielago, a R6-million Bentley Azure, a R1.6-million Porsche Cayenne Turbo FL, a R2-million Ferrari Spider, an R800 000 Mercedes-Benz convertible and a low-key BMW 3 Series that costs between R546500 and R602200. The cars are estimated to be worth at least R15-million.

Always the snappy dresser, he earned the nickname “Styles” from his days in exile. These days, he apparently has his shirts made specially for him in Italy.

He is also believed to own a string of houses across the country, many of them registered under a company name.

Two of these — one in Johannesburg’s Hyde Park, dubbed the “Playboy mansion” after the Hugh Hefner TV series, and the other at Zimbali Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal — are conservatively estimated to be worth more than R100-million.

According to previous reports in the Mail & Guardian, Hlongwane contracted a company in 2006 to install a cigar room and gym and renovate the patio and main bedroom in his Zimbali home for R1.1-million. This probably confirms why his house parties are generally the talk of the town, particularly among the pretty young women who crack an invitation.

He is also known to belt out a tune or two while playing the grand piano at his Hyde Park home and is known to talk “affectionately” of the roses spread around his expansive garden.

Hlongwane rarely, if ever, attends any of Johannesburg’s highbrow functions and the only known photograph available of him is one taken in 1998 after he joined the board of Denel.

He has, on occasion, been spotted at high-profile struggle veterans’ funerals, for which he reputedly paid.

Among the various “Fana tales” doing the rounds is that he has several girlfriends at once, for whom he has bought fancy cars and who he has taken on lavish joint shopping sprees, including abroad.

Another story relates how, while having his hair cut, he saw a beautiful woman in the salon and paid the owner big bucks to close for two hours so he could woo her. He walked away with the woman, who was engaged, and is even alleged to have repaid her fiancé’s lobola.

Hlongwane eats at Johannesburg’s best eateries and some of Mandela Square in Sandton City’s more up-market bars and restaurants. He is sometimes spotted with a cigar firmly clenched between his lips, surrounded by women and ordering bottles of Dom Perignon Rosé.

He also regularly hires private dining rooms at The Saxon boutique hotel, just down the road from his Johannesburg house, for business meetings.

He is chairman of the Ngwane Defence Group, a black-owned company specialising in aerospace, military and security solutions. Its CEO is former army chief Siphiwe Nyanda, an influential member of the ANC’s national working committee. The company sells, among other things, specialised military vehicles, sniper and assault rifles, riot-control gear and equipment aimed at emergency relief. Its board of directors includes former bigwigs in the SANDF as well as diplomat George Nene.

Hlongwane, who studied law in the former Soviet Union, is also listed as a director in a host of other companies relating to defence, manufacturing and healthcare.

He left South Africa in the ’70s and became a ranking commander of Umkhonto weSizwe, living in several African countries including Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

It is here he is believed to have forged his close ties with the late Joe Modise, who signed most of the arms deals while defence minister in 1999.

Hlongwane returned from exile in the early ’90s and was part of the MK delegation that testified before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission about their activities in South Africa during apartheid.

Prior to 1994, he was spotted at Modise’s side during the Codesa talks and later became his adviser. He was regarded as the main man between the government and the overseas arms dealers touting for business.

But he was found to have been playing both sides because one of his companies, Tsebe Properties, was listed as a shareholder in Osprey, the company used by BAE Systems as an agent to disburse commissions.

An official in the Department of Defence once said about Hlongwane: “Someone like Fana would see the money bags hanging in the air and immediately market himself, saying: ‘I am your man, I know everybody.’ ”

The SA National Defence Union (Sandu) has described as ridiculous and absurd the arrest of 75 soldiers accused of mutiny and violation of the traffic and gatherings Acts.

The soldiers were arrested on Wednesday afternoon after marching down the N12 and Golden highway in a bid to get to the Doornkop military base from Lenasia.

"The total malice and absurdity with which this matter was dealt is further illustrated by the fact that only after four hours in detention were the members informed of the charges against them and the reasons for their arrest," the union said in a statement on Thursday.

Sandu general secretary Pikkie Greeff said the arrested soldiers, who were not all Sandu members, were arrested outside the Doornkop base after military officers were instructed to lock them out.

This, he said, was an obvious "brutal abuse of power by management throughout its military police force".

Greeff also laughed off the contravention of the traffic Act charge, saying the soldiers would not have walked on the highway had the military honoured the Pretoria High Court ruling and provided them with transport to work.

"The charges of contravening the Road Safety Act is equally trumped up as the Johannesburg metro police were monitoring the members' walking to their place of work without so much as charging or warning the pedestrians involved that they were committing a traffic violation," Greeff said.

He disputed Wednesday's statement by SA National Defence Force (SANDF) spokesman Brigadier General Kwena Mangope that the soldiers could have "followed the right channels to address the transport issue", saying their pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

"Sandu brought these factors to the attention of the chief of the SA Army and no steps were taken to rectify the situation on a permanent basis. To save themselves from this embarrassing situation, they today (Thursday) availed transport for the soldiers," Greeff said.

Mangope could not be immediately reached for comment on Greeff's claims.

On Wednesday, he said it was unacceptable for soldiers to protest.

"It is not in the culture of soldiers to march [protest] in uniform... it is totally unacceptable. If indeed they are soldiers they should have followed the right channels and aired their grievances in regard to transport," Mangope said.

Although crime is regarded by many South Africans as the number one problem facing the country at the moment, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) is adamant that the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup will be enjoyed by both foreign and local football fans in safety.

This was revealed at the ISS offices in Nieuw Muckleneuk yesterday. The SAPS and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) used the opportunity to inform the media and distinguished guests on how both organisations plan to make sure that the tournament runs smoothly with regards to criminal activities.

The budget set out by government to organise and host the event amounts to R420 billion. Of this amount, R640 million has been set aside for the SAPS to ensure a crime-free tournament.

Anti-social behaviour such as terrorism, violence in the transport industry, hooliganism and labour unrest are only some of the SAPS’ points of focus.

Interpol have also agreed to assist all member countries to successfully coordinate the event.

Another mammoth task identified by the police is accreditation. More than 50 000 people need to be accredited for the World Cup. VIP protection also has to be organised for Fifa and government officials from various countries. Although it is estimated that about 70% of all visitors will be situated in Gauteng, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will help to control South Africa’s borders with its neighbouring countries, and in the same breath, a major emphasis will be placed on airport and seaport security.

Since South Africa hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003, the SAPS will have added an additional 60 000 members to its force for 2010, meaning the SAPS will consist of 190 000 members that will ensure that the tournament runs smoothly.

A zero-tolerance approach will be taken and this includes on sex workers as the government has decided not to legalise prostitution for the tournament.

Security around the stadiums will be tight, but people who work and live in the so-called “outer perimeters” of the stadiums, will be accredited to enter these zones as they see fit.

Speaking about the tournament, which will run from June 11 to July 11, 2010, Assistant Commissioner from the SAPS head office in Pretoria, Ben Groenewald, said the event had already changed the history of South Africa.

“This is the biggest sporting event in the world and the Confederations Cup in 2009 will give the authorities a good opportunity to test and revise their plans,” he said.

Asked if terrorism posed a major security threat to South Africa in successfully hosting the event, Groenewald said this was not likely to be the case.

“The latest information we have received from international intelligence agencies around the world indicates that there are currently no possible terrorist attacks.

“But we are nonetheless making it one of our priorities to stop terrorist attacks from taking place at the tournament.

“Terrorism does not pose an immediate threat to South Africa, but it can be to those people visiting the country from other nations,” he said.

Wally Rhoode of the Safety and Security Directorate in the LOC, said the country is ready and the world can be assured of that. “We are far advanced than where Germany was in their planning,” he said.

Charges of mutiny laid in protest over lack of transport at base

To the 200 soldiers, their 20km walk to work was a peaceful protest – but to their commanding officers it was a rebellion that had to be dealt with swiftly.

Just hours after the infantry soldiers from the South African National Defence Force left their 21st Battalion barracks in Lenasia, where they live, and reached the Doornkop base near Eldorado Park, where they are based, scores of armed military police were waiting for them yesterday, ready to crush what the SANDF said was a mutiny.

The soldiers had embarked on their trek around 8am, an hour after the last military truck collected soldiers from the Lenasia barracks. They claimed they had no alternative but to walk to work.

But when they got to the Doornkop base, the military police officers were in no mood to negotiate with them and began arresting them.

Within minutes, the unarmed soldiers were herded into the back of military police and SA Police Service vehicles. Those who resisted arrest were met with brute force and thrown into the police vans by their hands and feet.

The military police crushed the mini-rebellion under the watchful eye of about a dozen SAPS officers dressed in riot gear, who did not involve themselves in the arrests. In total, 156 soldiers were arrested on charges of mutiny.

The others, said Brigadier-General Kwena Mangope, director of corporate communications at the SANDF, “ran away. But they must be identified and also be charged.”

Mangope said the arrested soldiers would be brought before a military judge as soon as possible because it was a matter that needed to be dealt with urgently.

“Our position is clear: soldiers do not march. There are standing orders in the army and there are channels that soldiers have to go through if they have grievances,” he said.

Private Thabo Mokoena, deputy chairperson of the South African National Defence Force Union, denied they had marched, but insisted it was merely a walk to work.

The soldiers had earlier disrupted traffic on the eastern section of the N12 highway before making their way back onto the Golden highway.

Joburg metro police spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said motorists travelling on the N12 were “agitated” by the disruption.

Mokoena, who was part of the rebel soldiers, said the only reason why they had walked to the Doornkop base was because they had no transport. He denied they had blocked the highway.

He said that earlier this month, the Pretoria High Court had ordered the military to provide them with transport.

“Yes, they do provide transport, but it is not sufficient. There are 1 200 soldiers at the Lenasia base who need to be picked up every day. They send the trucks from 6am to 7am.

“There are only 10 trucks that can carry 35 people at a time and even if those trucks do a double trip, they are not able to accommodate everyone. So after 7am they don’t send another truck to pick up the rest of the soldiers,” he said.

Among the other complaints the soldiers highlighted were “corrupt generals” and poor working conditions at the Doornkop base.

Chairperson of the Goodwill Parcel Project Busisiwe Ngwenya, who is also the spouse of the SANDF Chief General Godfrey Ngwenya, said the parcels were a symbol that the troops and their families were appreciated.

"The aim of the project is to illustrate, especially over the festive season, to all deployed soldiers, members on duty, patients in hospitals and families of deployed members that the leadership of the SANDF and the South African business community do really care for them," said Ms Nqwenya.

Receiving the parcels, Chief of Joint Operations, General Themba Matanzima, said the important work done by the troops was recognised and the kind gesture by the business community would help to lift their morale.

The Goodwill Parcel project was started in 2001, when the Warrant Officers of the SANDF and the Joint Operations Division decided to send goodwill parcels to all members deployed operationally during the festive season.

Since no funds were available, they requested each Warrant Officer in the SANDF to donate R1 towards the cause.

The first goodwill food parcels were sent to deployed soldiers in 2001 during the festive season.

The project has since grown and includes sponsorships and donations from the business community. In 2007, a hamper pack for families and members on duty and in hospitals was introduced.

A Health Professions Council of South Africa hearing on apartheid era germ warfare expert Wouter Basson was postponed without a date on Monday.

The hearing, held at a hotel in Pretoria, was postponed pending the outcome of an application by the defence.

Basson's legal team wants the Pretoria High Court to declare the manner in which the HPCSA has dealt with the matter "unlawful, unreasonable and unfair".

The affidavit will be filed before the courts this week, after which the council will be able to file an answering affidavit.

Basson, who was not at the hearing, faces six charges relating to his time as head of the apartheid government's chemical and biological warfare project.

He is accused of, among other things, on more than one occasion providing disorientation substances for over the border kidnappings, and of making cyanide capsules for suicide usage by members of specialised units.

He also allegedly co-ordinated the production of drugs such as mandrax and teargas on a major scale.

The hearing was told that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was willing to assist the defence in obtaining "the services" of an international expert.

Both parties agreed that the defence would keep the council informed of developments in the matter.

At the last hearing, the defence asked the HPCSA to make available to it minutes of a meeting between the council and the head of the SANDF.

At Monday's hearing, Basson's counsel Jaap Cilliers said that a doctor who was present at the meeting was to be subpoenaed in this regard.

The hearing is expected to get underway next year.

India and South Africa have seen enhanced military cooperation especially during the past decade including the fields of military training and procurement of military hardware.

The two countries have seen frequent exchanges of army delegations in the recent past. On his first leg of the visit, the Army Chief is scheduled to visit the South Africa Army Headquarters, army engineer formation, army war collage in Pretoria; air force base, a parachute regiment and the school of armour at Bloems Pruit; and the naval base in Cape Town.

General Kapoor will lay wreath at the South Africa War Memorial at Fort Klapper Kop. He is scheduled to hold wide-ranging discussions with the Chief of South Africa National Defence Forces (SANDF), General Godfrey Ngwenya. On the next leg of visit, the Army Chief will be visiting various military establishments including the Indian Army's Training Team (IATT) in Botswana.

General Kapoor is to hold discussions with Lieutenant General THC Masire, the Commander of Botswana Defence Forces (BDF). He is also expected to meet the Botswana Minister of Defence and the President.

Chairman of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) and owner of Orlando Pirates, Dr Irvin Khoza said Exercise Young Eagle would be implemented practically if any form of hooliganism erupts during the world cup.

Soccer hooliganism refers to planned fights between opposing soccer fans, disruptive and violent behaviour at matches, vandalism and intimidation.

"This exercise is a crucial move towards the preparations of the world cup. The army has the capability to handle civil unrest and all forms of riots, therefore we will rely on them to protect our airspace and borders during the soccer world cup," Mr Khoza told BuaNews.

Mr Khoza, who was recently appointed honorary Colonel and Chief of logistics of the SA army, landed at the Bloemspruit Air Force Base wearing the SA military uniform.

Military representatives from 24 countries attended the annual exercise including Canada, Thailand and South Korea.

The live airborne attack demonstrations at De Brug training area, began with six parachute corps jumping from the aircrafts at a height of about 2 500 metres. The main force was dropped by Oryx helicopters.

Once on the ground, the soldiers regrouped to carry out their attack. The soldiers demonstrated a "fire belt action" which is when they fire all weapons simultaneously, with the help of helicopters above.

The fire belt action comprised of a 7.62mm light machine gun, 40mm multiple grenade launcher, 60mm patmor, 12.7mm browning machine gun, RPG rocket launcher and 81mm mortar.

The troops that participated in the exercise included members of the Military Skills Development System.

South African National Defence (SANDF) Major General, Vusi Masondo told BuaNews the exercise was crucial in ensuring members mastered the skills they had been trained in.

The SA army would work hand in hand with the South African Police Service during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup which will take place from 14 to 28 June 2009.

Mr Masondo further announced that the next annual event aimed at training and exercising the SA army's airborne and Air Assault Forces to enhance airborne capability and combat readiness, will be staged in February 2010.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is to go back to the drawing board in an attempt to drastically improve the training of its soldiers.

The admission that the basic training of thousands of new recruits into the SANDF through its Military Skills Development System (MSDS) is inadequate was made yesterday in Bloemfontein.

Currently the SANDF’s basic training – which includes, among others, drill, fitness, shooting, basic manoeuvres and firearms and weapons knowledge – is 14 weeks, but this is to be increased to 22 weeks as part of a massive drive within the military to get training basics right. Before 1994, basic training in the South African Defence Force was 12 weeks.

The MSDS programme, which has been under way for the past five years, is aimed at recruiting thousands of young men and women into the defence force through the voluntary recruitment programme to bolster the SANDF.

Chief army force preparation, Major-General Vusi Masondo, speaking at Exercise Young Eagle, which is the annual airborne forces final training exercise, said there were serious challenges facing the army. “One of the biggest challenges is the basic training of our new recruits,” he said.

Highlighting concerns around basic training, Masondo said recruits had battled to grasp certain concepts. These concepts are believed to include basic shooting and weapon handling skills.

“We are therefore going to go back to basics and will be extending the time around basic training from 14 weeks to 22 weeks,” said Masondo, adding that the increase in the training period would lead to an increase in the spending for training.

SANDF sources said the near doubling of basic training would see recruits being trained for longer in various skills, especially musketry, which is one of the major concerns of senior army training officers.

Masondo said they had to ensure that members were proficient soldiers for the SANDF to continue with its deployments both in and outside South Africa adding that it was vital that basic skills were mastered.

“We cannot have troops deployed if they cannot master the basic skills,” he said, adding that the latest drive was part of improving the defence force’s capabilities by ensuring that troops are completely competent and better qualified to carry out their tasks.

In an exclusive interview with Satellite News, Brigadier General Ian Fordred, Director of the Information Communication Technology (DICT) in the Command and Management Information Systems Division (CMIS), South African National Defence Force (SANDF), talks about the challenges facing South Africa as it looks to secure more satellite capacity for its military needs.

Satellite News: What role have satellites played in recent years for the South African military?

Fordred: I think in peacekeeping missions outside of South Africa, we have become very reliant on satellite communications because of the reliability of the links we have established. The ease and maintenance of the links and the fact we have sufficient bandwidth, means we can provide voice, video and data communications where traditionally we would have an HF-link with narrow bandwidth where you could provide voice and a small data throughput. Our end users have actually become spoiled. They have got the same information and communication system facilities they have in their offices in the field. They can be sitting in the DRC and accessing our mainframe in South Africa. They can access for example financial records, logistic records, medical records, etc.

We have also participated in 'Combined Endeavour' exercises over the last couple of years. What I found interesting is that a number of first world countries saw South Africa as behind in a lot of its development. This is a misperception. A lot of people were amazed at that. South Africa and one or two other countries are taking the lead in bringing advanced communications to Africa.

Satellite News: What are the major challenges facing South Africa in terms of developing its MilSatCom capabilities?

Fordred: In the early 1990s, we decided to go down the C-band route to support our military operations in Africa, specifically, our peacekeeping missions in the DRC, Burundi and Sudan because the C-Band gave us the biggest footprint over Africa. We have acquired certain C-band terminals and we built our own hub north of Pretoria to provide us with the necessary communications, which includes voice, data and video to our deployed forces.

The biggest challenge was not having access to military satellites, but utilizing commercial capacity. We were forced to look at commercial satellites. We had to negotiate with the commercial satellite providers, and we negotiated for use of PAS-4 with PanAmSat. We acquired a certain amount of bandwidth to provide the necessary communications. This has proved more cost-effect at the end of the day.

Satellite News: What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach?

Fordred: The obvious advantage of using commercial capacity is that it is probably more cost-effective. However, we are also investigating the use of X- band capacity. In fact, there are two European countries specifically offering us X-band capacity on their constellation of satellites. We have been approached by those two countries and are investigating the utilization of these options in future. We are looking at X-Band, but obviously the terminals there would be very expensive.

The other advantage of using commercial capacity is having access to terminals and the repair and maintenance of the satellites, as well as the hub. Some of the disadvantages we have in our National Defence Force is the availability of skilled military personnel to maintain and operate these systems. A lot of our technicians have left the National Defence Force to pursue careers in the commercial environment, so we are quite heavily reliant on our civilian contractors to assist in the maintenance of our satellite systems. At any time, commercial satellites can turn off our bandwidth on their transponder. We are part of peacekeeping missions and we will not use commercial transponders for military purposes.

Satellite News: Are there security issues using commercial satellites?

Fordred: Yes. From a security perspective, we have end-to-end encryption. So, it does not really matter whether we are using commercial or military transponders. We have got an encryption house in South Africa, which has developed our encryption systems.

Satellite News: Do you think there will ever be a point where you invest in your military system the way we have seen in Europe?

Fordred: Yes, definitely. I think a time will come soon when we will have to look at having a military transponder to provide, not only South Africa that capability, but looking at the region, the SADC region, as well as the rest of Africa. There is an initiative from our Department of Science and Technology, which means we are looking at co-operation with other African Nations and getting access to a dedicated satellite to provide communications into Africa.

Satellite News: How long will it be until you have access to dedicated military space assets?

Fordred: I would say we are 2-5 years away. We are obviously under a lot of pressure with the 2010 Soccer World Cup coming up taking place in South Africa. We need to ensure the security of the games. We are there to support the South African Police. We need to have sufficient communications in place. We are also looking at installing a Ku hub north of Pretoria, as well as an additional C-band hub in South Africa, specifically for the internal needs of South Africa and border control.

Satellite News: What levels of investment has the government made in satellite-based capabilities?

Fordred: The Department of Science and Technology has a big initiative on the go now, where they are moving ahead with satellite development and acquisition. They are planning to launch an experimental satellite, which will provide certain imagery requirements to South Africa. The requirements for a communications component on this satellite are in the process of being determined.

Satellite News: In terms of building your own military capability, would you do something similar to what the U.K. has done and use a PFI, service based approach?

Fordred: It is actually a government imperative in South Africa that we pursue public private partnerships where we do have co-operation with the commercial environment. For example, we can outsource certain components of our telecoms infrastructure for them to maintain and provide those services.

I know that strategic communications within the U.K. is managed and provided by BT. The U.K. forces then concentrate on the deployable component, so we will be concentrating on that. In fact, we have a big project now 'Project Billet' which is the replacement and upgrade of our strategic and mobile telecoms infrastructure, and as part of that, we are looking at satellite communications, fixed line communications, microwave and also the possibility of outsourcing responsibilities to the commercial environment.

Satellite News: We have seen countries like France and Italy cooperate in terms of military assets. Could we se something similar in Africa?

Fordred: I think we will not go it alone in terms of a military satellite. One of the constraints I see is obviously financial. The fact is that South Africa is part of the SADC group of countries and the African Union (AU), so we have to provide support to the region. We will definitely do it in a collaborative manner. We will have co-operation with countries that have the resources to move forward with this.

Satellite News: Is the ultimate vision for there to be a pan-African dedicated military satellite system?

Fordred: Yes, I do see that. I think Africa could have cooperation with different regions within Africa, for example, East and West Africa. At the moment, it is good to look at this cooperation with other SADC countries and other countries in Africa. The other issue we have right now is that the present satellite is coming to the end of its life. Therefore, we are presently investigating the use of another satellite that will give us the ideal footprint to cover our area of interest. This will be commercial capacity. But we are also exploring X-Band solutions. The footprint that the European constellations can provide us with is very good. Our Navy is expanding its reach, and we are probably getting more involved in other countries to assist in combating piracy.

Satellite News: Is a deal with a European Nation likely?

Fordred: We are investigating it. We have memorandums of understanding in place. We have had discussions and we will pursue it further. In terms of whether we will definitely go with a European country, there may be other countries that have yet to approach us, but have a similar capability. On our initial negotiations, the European footprints could satisfy our needs. We will be having further meetings with these European officials early next year.

Government has been urged to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Eersterus to rid the area of gangsters and crime.

Concerned residents at a public meeting at the local civic centre said they were tired of the rampant crime and gangsters in the area.

The recent meeting was organised by the Tshwane community safety division in consultation with the local SAPS and Gautrans as part of the Tshwane Integrated Community Safety Outreach Mobilisation Plan.

Local resident Irvin Groom said: “We need the army to rid Eersterus of crime and gangsters and to monitor our area on a daily basis.”

He said government should also consider declaring a state of emergency in Eersterus.

Another resident Charles Visagie said: “We need the army to hit hard at those who are involved in crime”.

He said security should be improved in Eersterus and that business people should spend more money on beefing up security.

“There was a time when incidents of housebreaking were down because we had street patrols which were successful,” Visagie added.

He said there was a need for 24-hour patrols in Eersterus. “We need more (police) vehicles and street lights which are working to make the area safe.”

Amanda Geel said most gangsters in Eersterus were youngsters who were given guns by their parents. “We know all the children who are involved in gang violence.

“The police also have dockets of these youngsters and they should revisit those dockets and pick up all of them,” she said.

Geel said it might be an idea if parents, community and religious could take all the children to the local stadium where they could make peace.

“We as parents need to stop the violence which is associated with gangsters.”

She claimed drug lords in the area were supplying young children with drugs.

Dikeledi Lehobye, the mayoral committee member responsible for community safety, gave residents the undertaking that they would institute an extensive crime prevention operation in the area. They might also call for the assistance of the SANDF.

Lehobye said it was the responsibility of all community members to tackle crime and drug lords.

“You need to report criminals and drug lords.

“But you do not have to put your life in danger while doing so.”

Members of an alleged ANC-aligned camp in Eshowe – called Vuma – claim they are no longer aligned to the South African Unitegrated Forces (SAUIF).

During a recent visit to the Vuma camp, independent researcher, Yvette Deschamps, was told in interviews, that 74 people out of an orginal group of 700 SAUIF members who had gathered at the camp to join the army, were no longer waiting for integration, but merely sitting, waiting together for government to provide them with jobs.

“Before, we were under the SAUIF, but we decided to leave because our leaders told us it is not easy to just join the SANDF, that it’s a problem. That’s why we stay here as the ANC,” said a spokesman for the group, Jabulani Dumisa.

“There is no kind of training, but we are still staying waiting for jobs,” said one woman recruit.

What kind of job?

MORE than 70 Amabutho bush camp “soldiers”, already facing charges of undergoing unlawful paramilitary training, have set up base camp again outside Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal after another extraordinary outdoor court appearance at the Mhlabathini Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

They are among 475 “soldiers of the dust” – most claiming to be former Inkatha Freedom Party militia – who stand accused of “forming organisations with military character without lawful authority”.

The accused are mostly from Pietermaritzburg, including the Imbali and Elandskop areas. Others are from Durban, Newscastle, Estcourt, Empangeni, Hlabisa and rural areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal. Several are from Johannesburg, the Jabulani hostel in Soweto being given as a common address.

The charge sheet reads: “On or about August 29, 2008 at or near Mlaba camp the accused unlawfully and intentionally took part in military training or the control of military training of an organisation, South African National Defence Force Non-Integrated Members.” (sic)

In recent bail applications, the charge was labelled as absurd by defence advocate Robert Sibiya, who has argued in court that no weapons or explosives had been found on site, and that people had gathered there – many since April 14 last year – to demand integration to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

He said government had been well aware of this, and had provided the court with correspondence from the South African Unintegrated Forces (SAUIF) about these demands, and a complaint about “integration corruption”.

He said the demand for integration into the South African military arose from the accused’s combat experience as members of either the Inkatha Freedom Party’s Self Protection Units or the former KwaZulu Police in the days of the erstwhile KwaZulu government headed by IFP President, Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

“My instructions are that they were all trained a long time before 1994 and regard themselves as soldiers, not trainees,” said Sibiya.

On camera outside court, Sibiya, has described the criminal case as flawed from start to finish.

“All that they (the accused) need is a person to come from the Office of the President and to talk to them and to tell them, ‘No, this is not possible. It is not going to happen. That will be the end of it’. Some of these people, they never went to school. They just hear that there is a job somewhere, and they go to that place,” said Sibiya.

Threat

Appearing for the state, S K Abrahams, a senior advocate from the National Prosecuting Authority in Pretoria, told the court that the accused represented a serious threat to national security.

“The actions of the accused have not been sanctioned by the SANDF or any other government department. There is a history as far as the SAUIF is concerned. This organisation is not recognised by the SANDF,” said Abrahams.

He said with elections coming up in the new year, there could be chaos if police had not acted against an organisation “providing military training, having the same knowledge of that as the SANDF”.

“There were handcrafted wooden rifles in the shape of AK-47s that were found in the tents. There were a lot of manuals found, instructions on fire drills and ambushes.

“The list goes on. Even from a layman’s interpretation, one could see that military training had taken place. The accused were also subjected to writing tests, and these were marked,” said Abrahams.

Abrahams objected to Sibiya’s contention that the prosecution of the “soldiers” was politically motivated, and said he was aware of the existence of another camp in Eshowe, a camp called Vuma, which was allegedly ANC aligned.

He said this was also receiving attention at a “high level of provincial SAPS commander, and possibly higher”.

Although Abrahams advised the court early last month that more arrests were expected, this has not happened and the case was this week postponed till January 12 next year.

South African peacekeepers, operating with Caspir light armoured vehicles, have apparently been involved in heavy fighting in a major confrontation with rebel forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The fighting, which has lasted for more than three days, comes as an uneasy ceasefire was proclaimed over the strategic eastern DRC provincial town of Goma on Thursday.

The ceasefire came after UN forces used MI24 attack helicopters to try and stop rebel leader Laurent Nkunda’s advance on Goma. The rebels are apparently on the outskirts of Goma.

Days before intense fighting broke out between Nkunda’s forces, the UN and the DRC army, who have subsequently abandoned their posts, UN force commander, General Vincente Diaz de Villegas Herreria resigned.

It is not known why he quit.

More than 700 crack South African infantry troops from 121 Battalion in Mathubathuba in KwaZulu-Natal are currently stationed in the eastern DRC as part of the UN’s peacekeeping mission in which nearly a third of the 17 000-strong UN force is deployed to bolster weak government forces in their battle against Nkunda’s forces.

It is believed that UN peacekeepers, many of whom are South African soldiers, are the only obstacle to a complete rebel takeover of the strategic city, after government forces, who apparently include the DRC army’s newly trained rapid reaction deployment battalion, fled on Wednesday amid accusations of looting.

Nkunda’s advance has seen more than 40 000 displaced people fleeing the area across borders into neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda, with nearly 30 000 trapped between UN and rebel forces.

The battalion, which was trained by the SANDF and handed over to the DRC government this month, was established to be quickly deployed to flash point areas such as Goma.

South African National Defence Force (SANDF) sources yesterday said South African troops had been involved in the latest fighting.

The clashes come as SANDF sources yesterday revealed that South Africa was the only country in which there was no agreement on what role the country’s soldiers can play.

This means that SA troops, who were deployed with light armoured Caspirs which can only withstand small arms fire, can be used for any and all roles, including stopping the rebels who are armed with T55 tanks.

Other UN forces, which are apparently several days away from Goma, are using armed vehicles such as the Ratel 20s and Ratel 90s.

SANDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Kwena Mangope, confirmed South Africa’s forces had been involved in clashes.

“At this stage we do not know the extent of the involvement.

“We just know that they have been fighting,” he said.

Nkunda, whose forces have captured several other strategic eastern DRC towns, said he would not shirk a fight with the UN for Goma if necessary.

MONUC spokesperson, Madndje Mounoubai, however said they would not relinquish Goma.