Mercenaries Banned

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kilo39

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Serving in foreign armies is 'unpatriotic' August 30 2006
"South Africans with these special skills increase brain drain by leaving South Africa to serve in other countries - it is also unpatriotic to do so," said Thandi Tobias, the chairperson of the National Assembly's defence committee.

While she recognised an individual's right to freedom of choice, that choice without a "measure of control" would undermine accountability, leading to the creation of a "banana republic", Tobias said.
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So ban them instead - much better. Since when does a government tell a person what they can or can't do for living - and make up a law to ban a profession that's been in practise since the dawn of time.

More disempowerment of the legal population.

The state has often raised concerns that it neither knows the identity or business of the estimated 10 000 South African serving in Iraq and other areas of conflict.

"Mercenaries are the scourge of poor areas of the world, especially Africa.

"Killers for hire, they rent out their skills to the highest bidder regardless of the political agenda," Lekota said.
 
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Mercenaries are a tricky area. Like many things they could be used for good or bad. I don't think in general they should be singled out. What about an engineer that helps a country build a torture centre? And so on.
 
kilo39 said:
The state has often raised concerns that it neither knows the identity or business of the estimated 10 000 South African serving in Iraq and other areas of conflict.
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Raised concerns that some people are out of its orbit of control? What right does the state have to know their identity or business if they're outside the borders of South Africa. They can have a voluntary consular registration scheme for emergencies etc. but anything beyond that smacks of Big Brother. Think one of the problems with this country is that probably half the cabinet was trained in Moscow during the days of Communism.
 
The gov does not have the right to know where the people of the country is, they can ask but we dont have to tell them. Freedom of movement is in the constitution.
 
Good decision, these people go and attempt coup in African states and when they are captured their families go crying to our Government.
 
neio said:
The gov does not have the right to know where the people of the country is, they can ask but we dont have to tell them. Freedom of movement is in the constitution.
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Being a mercenary is now illegal - serving in a foreign army (not a mercenary) would have to be registered - private soldiers are banned and breaking the law.

The Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulations of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Bill was duly passed and sent to the NCOP for concurrence.
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Jankielsohn was also referring to South Africans employed as "security guards" in areas of conflict like Iraq that is said to contribute at least R6-billion in spending power back home.
 
All returning mercenaries know only one set of skills: Armed conflict.

The origins of many of them is BEE in the Armed Forces where they are no longer welcome.

Guess what they are going to do overhere to support their families?

A coup? Or assisting the transito robbers?

I'd rather have them not in my backyard.

A few weeks ago an ex spes forces sniper told me he decided not to go the mercenary route but start his own company training security staff. He is blacklisted from any gov contracts, as well as contracts from any major company because he is the only share holder and a pale afrikaner male.

Fortunately he gets enough work in bits to take care of his wife and kids training guards for companies and individuals that don't care about BEE.

His only worry is that is providing specialist skills to dubious caracters - all registered with the appropriate councils for security guards.

But, he mentioned, that unless the BEE snares are slackened soon, he will have to go for the dollars.
 
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This government proclaims to be an example of how a oppressed country can transform itself into a "supposedly" free,democratic society. Now they pass this law which will have a dire consequence in Iraq for their fledgling democratically elected government. I bet they are pleased with this country's contribution to their struggle.
 
22. Every citizen has the right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely.

note 1: amended in 2006 to read "unless we say they can't"
 
A 6 billion rand hit to the SA economy - who knows, who cares and trev doesn't seem to be counting.
 
Angelo said:
Good decision, these people go and attempt coup in African states and when they are captured their families go crying to our Government.
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Didn't the ANC send Executive Outcomes into Angola to remove UNITA? Mercenaries were OK for them then.

Where did that Haitian despot Arisitide get asylum after his citizens kicked him out? You guessed it - in RSA!!

Hypocracy or what!!

The reason for this move - maybe the ANC is concerned that the mercenaries will compete with them for business.
 
Seems very one sided. Is the State afraid their own Defence force is in such shambles they are not able to protect us? Or is it that young, strong, able-bodied people would rather join a force that has some training and discipline? Or simply that we have skills that made the SADF one of the most feared forces in the world, but now disposed to fakers of and thief’s and liars, like the appointed head of legal affairs that was disgracefully dismissed on faking his qualifications, sentenced and still applied for the job.

I get this feeling there has been a coup de dante.

Anyway – who ‘retired’ these men of ‘fortune’?
 
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