Mercenary bill: Govt holds fire
08/11/2005
Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance has welcomed the government's recognition that the mercenary bill is flawed.
Since the draft bill was first tabled, the DA's defence MP, Rafeek Shah, said he had been inundated with calls from concerned citizens who would be criminalised overnight if the bill was passed.
Shah said: "If left unchanged, the bill will criminalise anyone who is employed in legitimate private security work overseas.
"At the same time, it will allow individuals to participate in terrorist activity."
His comments followed a briefing by Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota to the defence portfolio committee at parliament.
He said a number of changes to the Prohibition of Mercenary Activity Bill were necessary, including possibly changing the bill's name.
Pitfalls in the draft exposed
Lekota said parliament could not pass a bill that was unconstitutional, as he believed certain aspects of the present draft were.
He said the experience of having so many South Africans working in Iraq as security guards had exposed pitfalls in the draft.
"Some of our citizens go to Iraq. They say they are employed by security companies.
"By the nature of the war, by the nature of the conflict there, people often find themselves in situations that are difficult. What do we do with that when suddenly you find your citizens in a situation where they lose their lives," he said.
Shah said he welcomed Lekota's attitude.
Public hearings on the bill will start next year.
News24