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AFRICA faces a myriad of security threats and the continent needs to improve its security systems to curb a growing trend of terrorism and armed banditry.
Although the Southern African region has so far steered clear of extremist terrorist activity, the attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya by the Al Shabaab militia in September highlighted the need for African countries to strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism activities to prevent terrorists from staging a similar atrocity.
Zimbabwe and other countries in Southern Africa have enjoyed relative peace and tranquility with their major challenge being the need to combat transnational organised crime.
But of late, the region has been faced with the renewed threat of war in Mozambique where the Renamo rebels are threatening to destabilize the Frelimo Government.
It is an issue that is close to home in Zimbabwe as the country once assisted the Government in Maputo to thwart the first insurgency by the Alfonso Dlakama-led rebels.
Dlakama and his motley crew of bandits are holed up in the Gorongosa Mountains from where they are committing atrocities against the people of Mozambique.
We feel the entire Sadc region cannot stand by and let Mozambique descend into chaos and anarchy at a time when its economy was picking up and the country had rebuilt most of the infrastructure destroyed during the first civil war.
Against this background, the Zimbabwe-South Africa 8th session of the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security met in Bulawayo from Monday to yesterday and expressed concern at the escalating acts of banditry by Renamo rebels in central Mozambique. It called for the continuation of dialogue between the Mozambican Government and Renamo. South African Home Affairs Minister Cde Naledi Pandor said Sadc is watching closely the political situation in Mozambique and will not allow Renamo to destabilize the country.
In her remarks during the ministerial opening of the meeting, Cde Pandor, who led the South African delegation, said Sadc member states would intervene if the situation got out of hand.
She said while peace prevails in the region, the regional countries remained vigilant in safeguarding acts of banditry and terrorism within its member states.
“Our strong message to Renamo is that we will not tolerate any destabilisation in our region. We will not allow anyone to disturb the democracy we fought for,” said Cde Pandor.
She added: “Our opinion is that resolutions must be made on the table and not in a civil war.”
We are glad Zimbabwe and South Africa are seized with this matter because an unstable Mozambique will open it to undesirable elements who might destabilize the region.
The meeting, which was attended by defence and security chiefs from the two countries, also tackled the problem of organised crime syndicates operating across the borders of their territories. We note in their communiqué that they acknowledged that there is rampant smuggling of precious minerals, stolen vehicles, tobacco, cigarettes, money laundering, poaching, illicit trade and human trafficking between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Of concern is the fact the border between the two countries has become porous and this poses both a security and economic threat.
Criminal syndicates are operating freely and with impunity across the two nations. Fugitives from justice in Zimbabwe find refuge on the streets of Johannesburg and we are certain that a large number of the 26 000 suspects that Zimbabwean police yesterday said were on their most wanted list have sought sanctuary in South Africa. This calls for close cooperation and redoubling of efforts between law enforcement agents in both countries and in this vein we take note of the Commission’s commendation of the successes achieved so far in the joint operations to deter and curb illegal and criminal activities.
The rampant smuggling of minerals such as gold and diamonds from Zimbabwe to South Africa en route to markets in Asia and the Far East should concern the two countries. Zimbabwe has been losing a lot of its gold to smugglers who take it to South Africa via the porous Beitbridge border or private aircraft for sale to merchants and middlemen operating in the Johannesburg-Pretoria area.
Measures should be taken to stop this illicit trade. Poaching is one area where the two countries need to close ranks and work together to stop the illegal hunting of wildlife particularly elephants and rhinos.
Again the markets are in Asia, Far East, Europe and North America. Demand for ivory and rhino horns is fuelling rampant poaching of elephants and rhinos in the two countries’ national parks.
Because of their close proximity and intertwined economies, Zimbabwe and South Africa need to work closely together on security matters and we are heartened by the camaraderie that exists between the two countries’ security agencies.
This will certainly assist them combat crime, terrorism and other related threats.
Online Reporter