Is South Africa slowly becoming a magnet for terror activity?

19 August 2024

ActionSA expresses concern over the state of national security in South Africa following the deportation of 95 Libyan militants discovered at a secret military training camp in Mpumalanga, which came just days after the United States Treasury imposed sanctions on two South African individuals linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

In light of the discovery of a secret military training camp in Mpumalanga, another suspected military site in Limpopo, and South Africa's emerging role as a hub for terrorist financing, ActionSA has grown increasingly concerned that the Government's lacklustre approach to these evident security concerns and broader threats has placed the country at perilous risk.

Over the weekend, in a hasty deportation, 95 Libyan militants were flown back to Tripoli, on a chartered jet, this despite a long list of unanswered questions regarding their exact activities and purpose in South Africa, and how they managed to enter the country.

Concerningly, as global terror networks reconfigure and target Africa for expansion, the threat to regional peace and security has escalated significantly, with Mozambique’s own battle with insurgency underscoring the present danger this poses to South Africa.

What is clear is that terrorism knows no borders and requires proactive and coordinated intervention from the Government. Sadly, the alarming unresponsiveness following the discovery of Libyan militants reveals that neither the President nor the Minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security appears to be taking this matter seriously.

In the absence of clear answers to the most basic questions regarding the 95 Libyan militants -- such as whether they were part of a known or unknown militant group, whether they posed a threat to national security, and whether any state or non-state actors supported their activities -- our Government is dangerously setting the stage for South Africa to be seen as an attractive safe haven for terrorist groups.

ActionSA believes that State Security urgently needs to get into shape, as the consequences, we fear, are far too dangerous to allow for any further breakdown in our capacity to mitigate both domestic and foreign threats to peace of security.

Issued by Herman Mashaba, ActionSA Leader, 19 August 2024