Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

A South African battalion commander will probably be sent home after alleged involvement in sexual misconduct in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), News24 reported on Tuesday.

It said this brings to four the number of senior officers in the DRC being investigated for similar charges by either the United Nations or the SA National Defence Force.

The alleged misconduct includes drunkenness and fighting in Congolese nightclubs, promoting prostitution and sexual assault.

The defence force confirmed the UN was investigating charges against "a member of the South African contingent in the DRC".

The outcome of the investigation would determine the soldier's fate.

Meanwhile, a South African colonel will be replaced by another South African commander.

Police apparently the colonel a few weeks ago after "trouble" in a nightclub in Goma, where he was stationed.

He was apparently rapped over the knuckles soon afterwards by the acting commander of the UN peace force in the DRC and told he was under investigation.

Photos of the man and Congolese escorts were apparently handed to the UN, along with complaints by those under his command.

The UN's action against the South Africans comes after Secretary-General Kofi Annan recently banned sexual exploitation of the local population by peace-force troops.

A special task force has been appointed to investigate these activities, in which about 150 UN soldiers are involved.

Allegations against the four commanders include the use of a military vehicle to go on holiday.

A young recruit allegedly became pregnant during her training, although falling pregnant during training was against regulations. However, she was not suspended.

Another commander allegedly negotiated better prices for the services of local prostitutes with a DRC governor. Soldiers were told about the prices during roll-call one morning.

Women soldiers also laid charges against some of the commanders.

A high-level team of defence force senior members has just returned from the DRC where they verified some of the charges.