WeeklySA_AdminCHURCH LEADER DECRIES ‘GOVERNMENT INACTION’ AMID GROWING EVIDENCE OF MILITARY SKULDUGGERY BY CLANDESTINE NETWORKS IN SA…
‘GOVT MUST ACT ON SUSPECTED TERROR NETWORKS’
CLANDESTINE: Catholic bishop decries “government inaction” on alleged ISIS operations in the country…
By Silas Isenjia and WSAM Reporter
A bishop of the South African Catholic Church has raised grave concerns about what he described as the country’s failure to act on alleged presence and financial operations of individuals linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the country.
In his opening address at the plenary session of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC), which started on Monday and ended today, Bishop Sithembele Sipuka said the Isis group was destructive based on the evidence of its activities in neighbouring Mozambique and Nigeria.
Among others, the meeting held in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands town of Mariannhill was attended by bishops from Botswana, Eswatini and South Africa. Bishop Sipuka’s sentiments come in the wake of the mystery discovery of two secret military camps in Mpumalanga a fortnight ago, and earlier today in Limpopo.
A multidisciplinary team comprising members of the Hawks, Public Order Police and Tactical Response Team pounced on a suspected illegal military training camp in Limpopo early today.
The team raided the Modimolle-based farm, uncovering among others, several licensed firearms, rifles, pistols and ammunition at the camp. The law enforcement agencies are still making further investigations to unravel the mystery surrounding the camp. No arrests have been made yet.
The latest discovery follows the arrest of 95 Libyan nationals in White River in Mpumalanga last month, and their subsequent court appearances in court. Last month, the US Treasury announced sanctions against three ISIS operatives following a meeting of the Isis Finance Group (CIFG), which backs worldwide efforts to curb financing of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) and its leadership internationally. It described the individuals concerned as key terror financiers, who enabled the activities of the group across central, eastern and Southern Africa.
The latest sanctions by US authorities on affiliates of Isis once again out South Africa as one of the bases used to facilitate terror financing in the mineral rich – but volatile – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where several SA soldiers have died in the peacekeeping effort
The US Treasury claims the identified operatives serve critical links between far-flung Isis operations, including Isis-affiliated groupings in the DRC, Mozambique, Somalia and Isis cells in South Africa.
Meanwhile, addressing the Catholic Church’s plenary session in Marianhill in KwaZulu this week, Bishop Sipuka from Mthatha’s Diocese said: “Concerning is the recent news about the presence and financial operations of individuals linked to Isis in South Africa. I have not heard much reaction from the government about this; perhaps it deems it insignificant. He added, “The association of Isis with the destabilisation of countries like Mozambique and Nigeria raises concern because it brings a lot of suffering among ordinary people, as evidenced in Cabo Del Gardo in Mozambique.
“Additionally, a site in Limpopo purportedly used for security training but allegedly bearing signs of a military camp has been discovered”.
He added that the presence of Isis in the country, in addition to the rising number of armed robberies, kidnappings, and armed stock theft syndicates, was a concern that should not be ignored.
Bishop Sipuka further decried corruption and money laundering in Eswatini, which he said involved some high-ranking leaders. “I am curious to understand the extent of this problem, how it affects the people, and how the Churches, particularly the Catholic Church, respond to it,” he said.
In South Africa, the Bishop said, there had been positive reports on addressing the issue of corruption despite “cries about the failure to charge and prosecute highly placed people for acts of corruption and other wrongdoings.”
He said, “Though perhaps not at the rate we would like to see this happen, the recent charging and sentencing of some prominent people for alleged acts of corruption give hope that we are heading in the right direction in demonstrating a lack of tolerance for illegal activities by people in authority.” He, however, lauded the formation of a Government of National Unity in South Africa following the May 29 polls expressing optimism that it will address some of the issues that the people of God are facing including corruption and unemployment among others.
Bishop Sipuka faulted previous governments for focusing on party matters and closing ranks when accountability was demanded, much to the neglect of the service needed for the population.
The SACBC president went on to laud the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and other political parties for accepting the outcomes of the elections and agreeing to form a government according to the dictates of the results.
“We cannot take this for granted, especially when we consider the experiences of other African countries such as Zimbabwe, where former liberation movements give themselves the right to rule ‘until Jesus comes,’ as one famous leader sensationally predicted,” he said.
Meanwhile, about the Modimolle discovery, Hawks Limpopo spokesperson Lethunya Muroa said: “The purpose of the training is not yet clear, but military-related training cannot be ruled out, the manner in which the firearms and ammunition landed on the farm is still under investigation”.
Arrests are yet to be made in the latest discovery of a suspected military camp.
