Cape Town Rocket launchers that can be
used to stop tanks, mortars and automatic
assault rifles are among a batch of weapons lost
by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)
last year, Defence and Military Veterans
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said
yesterday.
In the past four years, the SANDF has lost 186
weapons in total .
In response to a parliamentary question from
Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald, Ms
Sisulu acknowledged that 142 weapons had gone
missing in 2007, seven in 2008, 36 last year and
only one
so far this year *1 . She
added only: “All possible physical measures have
been taken to secure weapons in storage.”
Mr Groenewald responded: “It is of extreme
concern that automatic assault rifles such as
the R5 and the R1 are being stolen in the SANDF.
It is precisely these sorts of weapons that are
being used in cash-in-transit heists and are now
also being used in attacks on shopping centres
and farm attacks.
“It is of even more concern that rocket
launchers and mortars have been stolen or lost.
“This testifies to poor control and discipline
in the management of weapons in the SANDF,” Mr
Groenewald said.
The minister should have said what she intended
to do about the problem, Mr Groenewald said.
Jane’s Defence Weekly correspondent Helmoed
Heitman agreed that the figures indicated a
major lapse in weapons management, particularly
in 2007 when assault rifles went missing.
He said the 7.62-calibre weapons could have gone
missing from the stocks of R1 rifles that were
earmarked for destruction and some could have
been lost on operations, “but it does give the
armed robbers somewhat of an edge”.
He also said the loss of the 40mm rocket
launchers was worrisome as ammunition for these
weapons, known as grenade launchers, was still
in production.
Mr Heitman said the 88mm rocket launchers were
old bazookas for which no ammunition was
available and “I suspect these could have been
grabbed as souvenirs”.
Ms Sisulu said weapons permits were issued for
all weapons on personal issue on condition the
individual complies with the criteria stipulated
in policy.With acknowledgements to
Wyndham Hartley and Business Day.
*1
Not so sure about that.
And what kind of weapons are the troops holding
in the photo?
With bayonets unsheathed nogal.
Look like .303s with the stocks cleaned up.
Now that the SANDF has supposedly gotten rid of
its R1s, it seems it must revert to the 2nd
World War.
Even at Cassinga in 1978, there were no
bayonets.
But I remember much "fun" in 1976 doing bayonet
training. In those days Adm Hugo Bierman was
Chief of the SADF and Lt Gen Magnus Malan was
Chief of the SA Army..
All woes since then.