DURBAN - SPECIAL forces deployed from South Africa to Mozambique have suffered a diarrhoea breakout after consuming rotten food and washing it down with dirty water.
The forces were deployed as part of the Southern African Development Community regional standby force to help Mozambique defeat its Islamist insurgency in the northern Cabo Delgado province.
The soldiers intend to hold those responsible to account.
Hungry, away from home and desperate to eat, troops told the Daily News how they spent days surviving on rotten food after no food rations were provided.
The letter from the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers in Mozambique to their seniors in Pretoria read: “I forwarded the complaint, hoping that someone from the top structure of the SA National Defence Force would look into the matter and try to resolve these issues and rescue Special Forces from the challenges we face here.
“We ended up eating rotten meat and vegetables, and almost every soldier was getting diarrhoea. When we raised the issue, the officials said that we are not cleaning our eating utensils. A lot of rotten meat had to be burned because the facility is not suitable to be used as food storage.”
The letter added that it was practically impossible to remain hygienic when they were offered only three litres of water each a day.
Another allegation made was that after they complained about the lack of allowances those in charge of the base offered to lend them money, which was to be paid back with interest when they finally received their allowance.
“We are kept and treated like prisoners. We cannot reveal the mess that they are creating here because we fear being victimised. If corruption can make a leader enslave his own people like this, then we have to be really scared because soon they will end up killing us with this kind of behaviour.
“We requested a psychologist to visit us here in Macomia Ops Vikela in Mozambique to counsel members on the ground and see the living conditions of the Special Forces who are to protect and serve South Africa and its people from foreign invasion,” the soldiers said.
Contacted for comment, communications officer Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Makopo said he had escalated the inquiry to the media liaison office which would “respond accordingly”.
It had not done so by the time of publication.
SANDF media liaison officer Lieutenant-Colonel Hammilton Ngubane confirmed that the matter was escalated. SA Defence Union spokesperson Jeff Dubazane said it was not the first time the union had been made aware of similar concerns.
“The challenge is that our members do not make formal complaints to the union so that we can intervene. It is difficult to act on such things when they are not talking directly to us,” he said.
Joint Defence Committee chairperson Cyril Xaba said that all affected troops and concerned citizens must not hesitate to write to the committee in Parliament so that the challenges raised can be addressed.
“Our oversight responsibility of this portfolio committee extends to all the missions where the SANDF is deployed. If it requires us to physically go there and do some inspections then we will do so because we want to ensure that the military succeeds in its missions in and outside the country.”
Xaba said he would also raise the matter with the relevant structures in the government to ensure that it received the attention it deserved.
The founder and former executive director of the Institute for Security Studies, Jakkie Celliers, said it had become common for the military to starve its members when they should provide adequate food.
“The SANDF has a responsibility to feed its members who play a huge role in the SADC. It may not be the best food available but it should be healthy food that will see them perform their duties as required.
“Those troops must exhaust every avenue available and register their concerns so that these issues may be resolved.”
Daily News