South African-made artillery: A Denel G6-45 155 mm howitzer. (Photo Courtesy DanieVDM)

Johannesburg — SA's on the trade in conventional weapons sounds terribly noble. Integral to it is the observance of human rights by those to whom SA sells weapons.

But, as is apparent from the Democratic Alliance's exposé on the operations of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), there is a real difference between policy and reality.

The NCACC Act says weapons transfers should avoid contributing to internal repression and the violation or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Also, transfers in areas of conflict or political instability should be avoided.

With this as part of the legal platform for conventional arms control it is difficult to see how any weapons or military equipment transfers to any country in the Middle East (and beyond) can be justified. Thus the claim that rifles, glider bombs, suits for jet fighter pilots and ammunition have gone to Libya, Syria, Iran and a demonstration of military equipment in North Korea seems to offend both domestic law and SA's obligations in terms of the international arrangement (the Wassenaar Arrangement) for trade in military equipment.

While SA might technically not have violated any UN arms embargoes -- with the possible exception of North Korea -- the sales and intended sales into these countries is ethically unacceptable.

The pending application for the sale of millions of rounds of ammunition to Zimbabwe falls into the same bracket. As was the case with the boatload of Chinese ammunition late last year, it can be argued that no UN embargo has been placed on Zimbabwe. But the political settlement in Zimbabwe is unstable and there has been a history of state-sponsored violence against the opposition. This application must be refused.

It also appears that some of the decisions might not be legal. The new NCACC and its chairman, Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe , have the unenviable task of reactivating a committee that has become moribund.

As a bare minimum all transfers should be frozen immediately if the weapons have not already been delivered and they should then be reviewed as a matter of urgency.