'Army' recruits
refuse meeting with
Defence Minister
Tanya
Waterworth
HUNDREDS of
people massing on
the border near
Pongola have been
arrested.
This followed a
visit to the area by
KZN MEC for
Transport, Safety
and Security, Bheki
Cele.
In an interview with
the Zululand
Observer, Cele said
the National
Minister of Defence,
Patrick Lekota had
stated he was
willing to meet with
the large group of
dissidents in Durban
on Monday to discuss
issues of concern.
‘The group said they
wanted to meet with
the National
Minister, but when
we said the meeting
would have to take
place in Durban,
they refused to
attend.
‘They were arrested
for trespassing on
private property.
‘We had also
received reports
that they were
starting to poach
animals from a
neighbouring game
reserve,’ said Cele.
The group, which
consisted of up to
700 people, were
taken to Mkuze
Police Station where
they spent Tuesday
being processed and
appeared in Ubombo
Court on Wednesday.
Police have
confirmed that some
of the arrested
people were the same
ones who attempted
to cross the border
into Mozambique and
were subsequently
arrested last
weekend.
As they have been
arrested for the
second time within a
week, it is expected
bail conditions will
be set when they
reappear in the
Ubombo Court.
Speculation
The border massing
started last week
when two large
groups claiming to
be previous armed
forces, made their
way to northern
Zululand, ostensibly
to cross the border
at Falazela and
Onverwacht to set up
military training
camps as they had
not been
incorporated into
the SANDF.
While it has not
been confirmed,
reports received
from the area
indicated that 67
people crossed the
border over the
weekend, while it is
suspected 30 crossed
the border from
eManguze the
previous weekend.
There has been
intense media
speculation as to
the origins of the
group, including
APLA, uMkhonto
Wesizwe, SANDF and
Inkatha SPU members.
Cele said many of
the group were too
young to be former
military personnel.
‘When I questioned
them about this,
some of the group
said they were
taking their
‘brother’s place’.
‘I informed the
whole group that to
join the defence
force, they would
have to follow
proper procedure and
make application.
‘No-one gets into
the army through the
back door,’ said
Cele.
He also said that
the source of
funding behind the
payment of buses
from eShowe to
northern Zululand
and payment of over
R70 000 in bail for
the first group of
372 who appeared in
eManguze Court has
yet to be
established.
The first group of
arrested people are
due to appear again
in eManguze Court on
Monday morning.
