18 April 2008
Cape Town — South African union members vowed on Friday to stop the delivery to Zimbabwe of a consignment of weapons from China which reportedly includes three million rounds of small arms ammunition.
And a public interest law centre in the port city of Durban announced that it was launching a court bid to prohibit the transport of the weapons through South Africa to landlocked Zimbabwe.
The weapons are in containers aboard the Chinese vessel, An Yue Jiang, which has been anchored outside the port since April 14.
Randall Howard, the general secretary of the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union, said in an interview with the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that the union had notified the employers of its members that they would refuse to offload or transport the weapons.
He took issue with government statements which suggested South Africa did not have the legal standing to prevent delivery of the shipment. The issue was "a political question," Howard said, and if shippers tried to use scab labour to handle them, there could be violence.
In Durban, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre said it was applying to the High Court on behalf of two church activists, one of them Durban's Anglican bishop, Rubin Phillip, for an order prohibiting delivery of the weapons.
The centre said South African law required that any transfer of weapons be authorised by a permit, which could not be issued if the weapons could contribute "to internal repression or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedom" or if the recipient governments "systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms."
South African newspapers report that the shipment also contains 3,500 mortars and mortar tubes and 1,500 rocket propelled grenades, destined for the Zimbabwean army.
A newspaper which has had access to shipment documentation reports that it is dated April 1, three days after the Zimbabwean elections. It does not disclose when the order for the weapons was placed.
Early reports on the shipment quoted a South African military spokesman as saying that the government committee responsible for arms control had issued a permit allowing the weapons to be transported through South Africa, and that the government had no legal jurisdiction over weapons deals between other sovereign states.
However, the South African Revenue Services, which controls customs posts, said in a statement later that cargo entering South Africa could not be released until a number of procedures had been complied with.
"At this time the vessel An Yue Jiang is at outer anchorage or off-port limits and therefore the cargo is not deemed to have been imported into South Africa yet," the statement said.
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I question the validity of this story. It also does not meet journalistic standards of disclosure. I was hoping allafrica would begin to reject authorless articles to promote greater transparent. Being open has killed African writers and why should we expect less from the Anglo Africa detractors? There is definitely something the authors of this authorless story want to hide. Since they are not saying who they are let me fill in the gaps. First, this is a typical Anglo propaganda in Southern Africa. And it seeks to undermine the democratic institutions of the region. It is usually a white… [Read Full Text]
Phiri, get a life! Actually, maybe you should go back to journalism school, and improve your skills so that you can make it as a reporter. Good luck!
Why didn't you go on strike last week? All you do is complain but cannot even go on strike to get your point accross - You want someone else to do your dirty work. Grow up idiot!
Phiri,
I would hope you are in Zimbabwe and when these weapons are unleashed to the masses you will be the first recepient of this present from China. Lets just assume you are correct that this is propaganda being used by the racist whites (by the way you sound more racist) why is the government of South Africa even bothering to make comments on it and why is it that a serious court of law in South Africa is scheduled to hear such "nonesense" as you so convincingly put it?
I would almost think that you have a hand in… [Read Full Text]
Why didn't you go on strike last week? All you do is complain but cannot even go on strike to get your point accross - You want someone else to do your dirty work. Grow up idiot!
To all those africans who think the west cares about us you need to think again.Its a great shame that some africans particlarly those in the diaspora(britain,usa)are so readily hoodwinked into believing the fallshoods emanating from western propaganda media.Look at the way black people are denied opportunities in these countries.Black people with masters degrees and phd's are working as cleaners and carers just to frustrate us.Are you then supprised that our black children loose interset in education after seeing there highly learned fathers doing such jobs?.Can you not see that this is the intention.To make us loose hope!How many black… [Read Full Text]
I agree with Phiri, there has been bad reporting on the story. Poor reporting that neglects international law, maritime law and the personality of Bob. Come on we can't take that story as it is, there's more to it than begin told. Think about the logic of it- yes we know uncle bob is desperate but he's no idiot, why would he pick the hottest period in the history of Zim to order such a large shipment of arms, from an investigated company. if you think of the Zim army and intelligence they one of the sharpest… [Read Full Text]
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It is with great dismay that I read about Blacks in Africa squabbling amongst them. Why do we blacks always think that black on black crime is acceptable? The truth is: 85% of black crimes worldwide are between blacks themselves. It does not matter if a non black person is using another black person to perpetrate a crime. Let's be fair and not attempt to judge and criticize others. Remember the old Hindu adage, "Happy is the person who finds fault with himself instead of finding fault with others". Better yet, the Christian adage as seen in Matthew 7:1-5 “Do… [Read Full Text]