Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The SA National Defence Force has disciplined its second female officer in a month for "riotous" conduct.

Captain "Nellie" Neliswa Mqamelo, deputy commander of a military police unit at the Castle in Cape Town, was punished for a tempestuous "sexual and/or romantic relationship" with a member of the army's lowest rank.

She will be dismissed from the SANDF if her conviction is upheld by a military court of appeal.

Mqamelo's lover, Private Moses Mmasehong Lamola, was fined R600 for his role in the affair but was allowed to remain in the SANDF. He was found guilty of "riotous or unseemly behaviour" and "conduct to the prejudice of military discipline".

The finding came a month after Major Ria Viviers was cashiered for having a sexual relationship with non-commissioned members of a peace-keeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On Friday last week Mqamelo, reportedly 42, was found guilty on six charges of contravening the military discipline code.

Her two-year affair with Lamola was at the heart of the couple's contempt for military discipline, according to the charge sheet. Their relationship - in itself a breach of the rules - led to charges including assault, being absent without leave (AWOL), dangerous use of a firearm and contempt for senior officers.

A hearing was told that the affair began in October 2000, after Mqamelo met Lamola at the Wynberg military barracks, where she lived in the officers' mess.

During the affair, Lamola slept in Mqamelo's room, negatively affecting his attitude towards senior officers.

The two also used a corporal's bedroom to conduct their affair, as well as a bedroom at 2 Military Hospital, where Lamola "had sexual intercourse and/or spent time relaxing" with the captain.

The affair came to the attention of the couple's commanding officers in January last year when they broke up. Lamola complained to his commanding officer that Mqamelo had pointed a pistol at him. She was found not guilty of this charge.

She was, however, convicted of "common law assault" for attacking a fellow captain. After this incident she stayed away from work for five days.

Called by her commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Raymond Harold Williams, to explain her absence, Mqamelo treated him with "contempt".

The charge sheet accuses her of calling him "a racist and/or shouting at him and/or leaving his office without being properly dismissed and/or paying the requisite military compliments", leading to a conviction for insubordination. She also defied Williams's order to remain on duty.