This has been a long time coming and is expected. The Military Assistance Act has been not only changed several times, but interpreted (incorrectly) in several cases, such that it plaudits the plaintiff
It pertains to active involvement in baring arms for remuneration. Embarking on standard international contracts, such as many South Africans do, has been carefully excluded, as money coming into SA via contracts of a ‘mercenary nature’ has left paper trails that in some cases, have resulted in embarrassment.
The beaurocrats will talk of improper representation of the Country and possibly even go so far as to embrace violations of human rights by any such contract.
The reality of it is somewhat different. This is a nagging issue that precedes ’94 and unfolds to one simple point. South African ‘mercenaries’ are extremely effective. They are highly disciplined and most, if not all, are battle hardened,…..especially from the pre ’94 era. Even then, several African and International leaders screamed ‘foul’ when ex-SADF members were identified as being part of what is termed a ‘mercenary’ unit. The reason they objected so vociferously?.......look at what they accomplished in a blink of an eye in Sierra Leone. Something that the UN, to this day for all intents and purposes, it is still unable to achieve. (Irrespective of what you might hear or read)
Indonesia and Angola are but a few other examples.
I have great empathy for these men/women, as for most, it is all they really know. As with most of us who solicit our skills/trade abroad, so are these folk.
I have a COIN trained friend who has secured a job in Iraq with one of the private contractors, and despite the so-called revised ‘advisory’ clause that will surely attach itself to this bill, this poor chap is now possibly facing deportation back home.
The UN, for all its good intent, has through pressure quite possibly resulted in many highly skilled and disciplined men&women being forced into unemployment, extremely low paying security jobs or even worse, crime.
The architects of this bill/motion will I think come to regret their decision at some stage down the road.