Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The SA National Defence Force on Monday defended a raid by military police on the SA National Museum of Military History last week.

SANDF spokesman Major General Mohato Mofokeng said the action was in line "with the new crime prevention strategy of the Department of Defence.

"Throughout the investigation (military police) followed standing prescribed procedures after receiving reports of alleged crime," he added.

Military police raided the Department of Arts and Culture-owned museum in Saxonwold, Johannesburg, on Thursday after receiving information that "war-capable weapons and vehicles" were being stored on the premises.

John Keene, the museum's director -- and a retired major, and two curators, Richard Henry and Suzanne Blendulf, were led away in handcuffs from their workplace, accused of possession of "suspected stolen" military equipment.

They were jailed overnight and released on Friday afternoon without being charged.

After the raid the SANDF hauled away an example each of an Eland 60, Eland 90 and Ferret armoured car as well as a Ratel infantry fighting vehicle.

All had been on public display at the museum for at least a decade and the military, itself, sends more than 30 groups to the museum annually.

Mofokeng on Monday said no further arrests had been made and no further equipment confiscated.

An internal investigation "to determine negligence or other possible offences which may have been committed by people entrusted with the disposal of arms" was continuing.

Mofokeng also said discussions were being held between the department and the Northern Flagship Institution -- the museum's owner on behalf of the Department of Arts and Culture -- to "determine the legality or otherwise of the presence of the equipment at the museum."

According to media reports, the equipment taken on Thursday was listed in military records as having been destroyed.

A museum spokeswoman at the weekend said all the contested items were recorded in the museum's acquisition books.

"We are not responsible for the military's records, we are only responsible for our own," the museum's Sandi Mackenzie said.

The museum was opened by Jan Smuts in 1947, who said he hoped it would "serve as a warning to us to create a world in which we shall never have to use again the weapons of death and destruction ... or those dreadful weapons to follow them".

The world-famous institution has 40,400 exhibits -- including the only surviving Messerschmitt Me-262 nightfighter.