SA troops ‘worst sexual fiends’
UN report lists requirements for peacekeeping forces
SOUTH African soldiers on United Nations peacekeeping missions in Africa are the world’s worst military sexual predators. The damning revelations come amid allegations that the UN allegedly tried to cover up the sexual abuse of women and children in the Central African Republic by French peacekeepers last year.
A report by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services, released last week, reviewed the organisation’s four biggest peacekeeping missions and sexual offences committed by its peacekeepers, which it labels a “regular occurrence”.
These missions include those in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and South Sudan where more than 2 000 South African soldiers are stationed.
Other missions reviewed include those to Liberia and Haiti. South Africa does not have any soldiers in those countries.
The report indicated that the effectiveness of enforcement against sexual exploitation and abuse was hindered by prolonged investigation delays and severely deficient victim assistance programmes.
The document, which reviewed the missions between 2010 and 2013, shows South Africa tops the list of offending nations despite not being the biggest contributor of troops to missions.
In terms of substantiated allegations, the report says the three worst countries are South Africa (nine allegations), Uruguay (eight) and Nigeria (seven).
The report did not detail the nature of the allegations.
By the time of going to print, the Defence Ministry had failed to respond to questions on how many South African troops had faced military trials or the outcome of the trials. The report says troop-contributing countries’ investigations are seen as unreliable because of a perceived conflict of interest and concerns over the quality of investigative standards.
The document says the lack of common sanctions is a hindrance, with civilian staff commonly dismissed, while troops are often repatriated, which is seen more as administrative punishment.
Among the sanctions imposed against military personnel were salary cuts, demotions, separation from service, and sometimes criminal proceedings.
Between 2010 and 2012, 45.7% of military suspects were imprisoned. The document calls for: ý Improvements in investigative standards and transparency;
ý Troop-contributing countries to provide investigation officers to be embedded in contingents so they can help with investigations; and
ý Use of courts martial in peacekeeping missions.
Sava Heleta, a conflict management and post-conflict issues researcher at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, said: “What the report shows is that whatever the military is doing to address the issues of ill-discipline is not working.
“It is gravely concerning that South Africa tops the list. Peacekeepers go to conflict regions to protect. When victims of such conflict see peacekeepers they are meant to feel protected, not fear them.”
He said the report backed research showing that South African troops were involved in some horrendous crimes, inclu- ding murder and sexual offences.
“In Burundi, when South Africa led the peacekeeping mission between 2002 and 2008, our troops faced nearly 400 misdemeanours and faced about 1 000 military trials which included absence without leave to rape and murder.
“In the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2005 and 2006 they faced 264 misdemeanours and more than 546 military trials for various serious crimes.
“This shows there are still very serious problems within the SANDF,” Heleta said.
Defence analyst Helmoed Heitman said ill-discipline went back decades to the old South African Defence Force (SADF).
“With the amalgamation of the SADF and liberation armed wings we got some very good officers, but we also got real scum from the old SADF.
“The big concern with discipline is the lack of experienced non-commissioned officers, who demand and enforce discipline,” he said.