Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
14 November 2000
Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad today reacted to a report in The Sunday Times of 12 November 2000 about a group of South Africans who reportedly intends to travel to Palestine to provide support for the Palestinian people. It was stated inter alia that "the Department of Foreign Affairs warned that South Africa could not be seen to be exporting terrorism by having its citizens exacerbating the conflict in the Occupied Territories." The article goes on to quote the Deputy Minister saying that "fighting 'as mercenaries' in Palestine would fall foul of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998-85"
Mr Pahad said today that the report in question was probably based on a misunderstanding, in that neither he nor any spokesperson of the Department spoke about the "exporting of terrorism" or exacerbation of the conflict in Palestine. Neither has either the Deputy Minister or any Foreign Affairs spokesperson referred to the South African Muslims who reportedly want to take part in this initiative as mercenaries.
The Deputy Minister did receive a telephonic enquiry from the journalist responsible for the article while he was in Maputo to attend the Socialist International Council Meeting, during which Mr Pahad explained in general terms that the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act. 1998, was intended to regulate the involvement of all South Africans in any conflict situation whatsoever. This was not a measure restricted to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Mr Pahad referred the journalist to a Foreign Affairs official who would have more precise and current information at hand. This official also replied to the enquiries from the journalist in the same vein. It is unfortunate that the way the article was written gave a different slant.
Mr Pahad explained today that the executive authority in respect of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, 1998, is the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) of which Prof. A.K. Asmal is the Chairperson. This is a collective political decision making body, comprising eight Government Departments, of which the Department of Foreign Affairs is only one.
Operations such as that contemplated by the "Friends of Palestine" Organisation in Port Elizabeth do fall under the provisions of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act and consequently do require approval by the NCACC in order to be legal.
There is a fixed procedure that has to be followed in order to obtain such approval.
In this particular case, no application has been filed, which means that the Government has not taken a decision as to the appropriateness or otherwise of the plans to send volunteers to assist the Palestinian people. Further enquiries in this regard should be addressed to the NCACC.
For more Information, please contact Dumisani Rasheleng Office No. (012) 351 0067 / 0128 Cell No. 083 709 8166