SOUTH AFRICA-POLITICS: ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

ACCADOGA CHILEDI

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 10 1994 (IPS) - THOUSANDS OF FORMER GUERRILLAS OF UMKHONTO WE SIZWE (MK) ARE OUT OF A JOB AND COMPLAINING OVER THE RAW DEAL THEY HAVE RECEIVED IN THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA THEY FOUGHT FOR.

“WE CANNOT HOLD OUR HEADS HIGH ANYMORE AS WE ARE CALLED MERCENARIES, WIMPS AND ALL KINDS OF DEROGATORY NAMES BY PEOPLE WHO WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICES WE MADE, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE, TO ENSURE THE VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE DOES NOT FAIL,” SAID ONE EX-MK OFFICER WHO REFUSED TO BE NAMED.

MORE THAN 2,200 MK DEFIED A MIDNIGHT-SUNDAY DEADLINE SET BY DEFENCE MINISTER JOE MODISE TO RETURN TO THEIR MILITARY BASE AT WALLMANNSTAL, AND HAVE NOW FOUND THAT THE ARMY HAS SHUT ITS DOORS ON THEM.

THEY ARE AMONG THE MORE THAN 5,000 FORMER GUERRILLAS WHO DESERTED THEIR CAMP NEAR PRETORIA TO PROTEST AGAINST A SERIES OF PERCEIVED PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THE SLOWNESS OF THE INTEGRATION PROCESS, RACISM BY WHITE MILITARY OFFICERS, AND POOR LIVING CONDITIONS.

THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF MK, THE FORMER MILITARY WING OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC), HAS LOST TOUCH WITH ITS CADRES, WHO, IN TURN, HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE GENERALS OF THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (SANDF).

IN THE FIRST WAVE OF TROUBLE LAST MONTH, DESERTING SOLDIERS DEMANDED THE RESIGNATION OF MODISE, THEIR FORMER MK COMMANDER DURING THE APARTHEID STRUGGLE, AND THEY ALSO DEMANDED TO SEE PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA.

UNDER THE MILITARY CODE OF CONDUCT, THE SOLDIERS DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN UNIFORM, SAYS CHIEF OF THE ARMY, LT-GEN HATTINGH PRETORIOUS.

ADDRESSING A CONFERENCE ON ‘FUTURES AND FORECASTS IN THE ARMY’ AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA IN PRETORIA THIS WEEK, PRETORIUS SAID HE HAD NOTICED “WITH CONCERN THE LOSS OF DISCIPLINE EXHIBITED BY SOME OF THE PERSONNEL TO BE INTEGRATED.

“IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR SOLDIERS TO CALL ON THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE TO RESIGN OR TO DEMAND THE APPEARANCE OF OUR PRESIDENT TO LISTEN TO GRIEVANCES. THIS VIOLATES THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF MILITARY RELATIONS: THE SUBORDINATION OF THE MILITARY TO POLITICAL AUTHORITY.”