Suspected mpumalanga military camp violated security regulations

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu stops short of calling the ‘illegal’ base an act of treason

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says the alleged military camp, which Libyan nationals were conducting in Mpumalanga, flouted the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) regulations.

On Friday, Mpumalanga police arrested 95 Libyan nationals after uncovering a suspected secret military training camp operating from a farm in White River.

Speaking at the makeshift military camp on Saturday, that included barracks and trenches, Mchunu told the journalists during the site visit that the facility was illegal in terms of PSIRA processes.

PSIRA is the body that regulates all private security activities in the country. 

The minister added that what was being done at the camp was not applied for nor approved by PSIRA, saying a training of this nature, which appears to be “basically and fundamentally military”, raises questions about the security of the country.

“All indications are pointing to this being more of a military training facility than an ordinary security training centre. It’s more military than security,” he asserted.

The Libyan nationals allegedly entered South Africa in April on study permits, but have had their visas revoked after their nabbing.

They claimed to be here to study to be security guards.

In a statement on Friday, the SA Police Service said the operation was carried out in conjunction with the provincial joint operations structure, including the home affairs department and other role players like the police’s crime intelligence.

The police added that acting provincial commissioner in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, convened the joint operations body on Thursday after receiving information about the suspected camp, which led to the raid on Friday, and subsequent arrests.

Responding to questions about their status in the country, Mchunu confirmed their stay in South Africa was illegal.

“We are saying that because in the application process, a violation of these processes has been identified — it would mean that their being here is illegal. Once a person is illegal, you think of deportation as soon as possible,” he said

“To that effect, we would want them to be out of the country as soon as possible, but we will follow due process and discussion.”

He said police could also not rule out that there were other camps like the one they had discovered in the province.

“We are not going to confine ourselves to what we have established now. [We] are going to expand our checks because this might be one at a pointer. But if there’s any other thing that we come across, we will follow those.”

The minister said there were indications of the Libyan government’s involvement, but shied away from saying whether the camp’s existence was an act of treason.

“Saying so [treason] would mean that you have completed the investigations, and you come to that particular conclusion looking at relevant laws and so on.”

National commissioner Fannie Masemola said all weapons found were legal to do training. Masemola said there were traces of the weapons being used.

The top cop said the place was accredited as a security training provider, and there are still investigations ongoing

“We can not pinpoint to you all the wrong. We do not want to jeopardise our case going to court.”