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THE National Prosecuting Authority has warned of serious chaos during next year’s general elections in KwaZulu-Natal if paramilitary training, which is still taking place in the province, was not stopped.

The NPA raised its concerns yesterday during the bail application of 475 people arrested last month for undergoing allegedly illegal military training at Mlaba camp, outside Ulundi.

Other paramilitary training was taking place in Eshowe, the NPA said. The issue of paramilitary training is so serious, that a task team comprising senior police officers has been formed and senior advocate Shaun Abrahams has been flown from Pretoria to Mahlabathini near Ulundi to deal with the matter.

Giving argument during the bail application at Mahlabathini Magistrate’s Court, Abrahams warned of mayhem during the elections if training were not dismantled and ringleaders brought to book.

“We have prima-facie evidence that the group was involved in paramilitary training. This is not good because we have elections next year. The situation we have now means we will have people who have the same knowledge that the SA National Defence Force has.

“There will be chaos if the matter is not dealt with,” he said.

The group of 475 people, who come from all parts of the country, calls itself the South African Unintegrated Force (SAUIF) and it mainly comprises former IFP self-protection unit members.The members argue they were left out when the ANC and PAC military wings were integrated into the SANDF after the 1994 elections.

According to letters exhibited in court yesterday, President Thabo Mbeki and Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota’s offices had as early as 2005 indicated to SAUIF members that the time for integration had expired. The group however, persisted with its military training activities demanding integration.

Abrahams said South Africa needed to take harsh action against people involved in illegal training.

Robert Sibiya, the lawyer representing all 475 people, told the court his clients were not involved in military training.

“These people were trained before 1994. They were at the camp waiting for government to integrate them when they were arrested,” he said.

The Mahlabathini Magistrate’s Court granted bail of R300 to 468 SAUIF members, while the other seven were not given bail as they were regarded as flight risks. Their bail application has been postponed to Friday for further investigation and they will remain in custody.

The case was adjourned until October 27.

Very few people managed to raise money for bail and they were taken to different holding cells. Others are expected to pay their bail today.

They are all charged with contravening the Criminal Law Second Amendment Act of 1992, which prohibits the training of people for “the conducting of any military, paramilitary or similar operation”.