Britain is accused of 'poaching' troops
SOUTH Africa has accused Britain and Australia of "poaching" its best-trained military personnel in a move which seems likely to undermine a UK Government appeal against legislation which could cost the British Army almost 900 of its most experienced soldiers.
As reported by The Herald on Monday, Ministry of Defence officials are seeking "urgent talks" with their counterparts in Pretoria to prevent the potential loss of more than a battalion's-worth of South African volunteers.
Under anti-mercenary laws due to come into force this autumn, any South African serving without permission in even an official foreign military force would be subject to five years in prison and the forfeiture of citizenship.
Tsepe Motumi, of the South African National Defence Force (Sandf) said the problem was "across the board" and t was suffering from "poaching on a month-tomonth basis".
The UK has hired 880 South Africans soldiers . Many of them enlisted after becoming disillusioned with the increasingly dilapidated state of the Sandf, which, sources say, is saddled with 50-yearold equipment and riddled with incompetent officers appointed because of their loyalty to the ruling party
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12 Juin 2008 à 09:37 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
