Tens of thousands march in South Africa against Iraq war

On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across South Africa to voice their opposition to the US drive for war against Iraq. Demonstrations were held in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein.

The protests were organised by the South African Antiwar Coalition, comprising more than 50 organisations. Amongst the groups involved in the protests were the African National Congress, the Azanian People’s Organisation, the Pan Africanist Congress, the United Democratic Movement, the South African Communist Party, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the South African National Civics Organisation, the South African Council of Churches, Lawyers for Human Rights and the Muslim Judicial Council. Not in My Name, an organisation of South African Jews opposed to the Zionist occupation of Palestine, also participated in the demonstrations.

Source: World Wide Web

State to probe reports of SA mercenaries in Africa

Government is investigating the involvement of South African mercenaries in military conflicts in other African countries, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Penuell Maduna said on Monday. Replying to questions during a special briefing for the media and diplomats, Maduna said government was concerned by the alleged involvement of South Africans and companies in Africa. "Certain cases" had been reported, and checks were being made to determine whether the people involved were violating South African law, he said.

The matter went beyond the issue of conflict diamonds, and if the allegations were found to be true, people involved would be summarily charged and brought to court, Maduna said. He declined to give further details because of intelligence concerns. In terms of the Foreign Military Assistance Act, it is illegal for South Africans or people with permanent residence in South Africa to assist parties to conflicts in other countries. According to recent media reports, former senior South African Defence Force members are helping, among others, Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo to stay in power.

The reports allege former South African military commanders have been recruited locally, and are assisting with training in the Ivory Coast. They say there are between 10 and 20 South Africans acting as "technical advisers", and "not gunslingers", in that country

Yengeni found guilty of fraud

Former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni was on Thursday found guilty of fraud by a Pretoria magistrate in terms of a plea agreement with the state. In return, he was acquitted of corruption. The charges relate to a 47 percent discount he received on a luxury 4X4 Mercedes Benz in 1998.

In a written plea explanation handed up to Pretoria's Commercial Crimes Court, Yengeni admitted he acted in breach of his public duties and with the intent to defraud parliament. He said he convinced his co-accused, businessman Michael Woerfel, to arrange the car deal.

Woerfel was at the time the head of Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG's Pretoria representative office."I admit that I failed to disclose to parliament, in circumstances where there was a duty to disclose, that I received the benefit... and that I misrepresented the facts and events as set out," Yengeni's plea explanation says. "The above misrepresentations were made with the intent to defraud Parliament."

Source: IoL

National Conventional Arms Control Act 41 of 2002

To establish the National Conventional Arms Control Committee; to ensure compliance with the policy of the Government in respect of arms control; to ensure the implementation of a legitimate, effective and transparent control process; to foster national and international confidence in the control procedures; to provide for an Inspectorate to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act; to provide for guidelines and criteria to be used when assessing applications for permits made in terms of this Act; to ensure adherence to international treaties and agreements; to ensure proper accountability in the trade in conventional arms; to provide for matters connected with the work and conduct of the Committee and its secretariat; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

PREAMBLE

SINCE the adequate protection of rights to life and security of the person against repression and acts of aggression is fundamental to the well-being and to the social and economic development of every country;

AND SINCE it is the duty of every government to protect and safeguard the rights of its people;

AND SINCE every responsible country has the right to acquire arms to equip itself against acts of aggression;

AND SINCE the Republic is a responsible member of the international community and will not trade in conventional arms with states engaged in repression, aggression or terrorism;

AND SINCE the Republic is engaged in the manufacturing and export of conventional arms;

AND SINCE it is vitally important to ensure accountability in all matters concerning conventional arms, BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, as follows: ...

15.     Guiding principles and criteria

(c)     avoid contributing to internal repression, including the systematic violation or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(d)     avoid transfers of conventional arms to governments that systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(e)     avoid transfers of conventional arms that are likely to contribute to the escalation of regional military conflicts, endanger peace by introducing destabilising military capabilities into a region or otherwise contribute to regional instability;

(f)      adhere to international law, norms and practices and the international obligations and commitments of the Republic, including United Nations Security Council arms embargoes;

...

Source: SABINET