News analysis: Rising insurgency in Africa, is SA spared?

Terrorist activities increase on the continent calls for greater cooperation

Sam Mokwaledi

The news of the brutal attack by the terrorists in northern Mali on the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and Russian instructors last week was a wake up call for security and calls for greater cooperation between states in counter- terrorism efforts.

Although the Sahel countries are far from South Africa, the recent discovery of an illegal secret Libyan military camp in White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa, has raised serious concerns regarding the implications for national security and political accountability.

Both Police and Home Affairs departments confirmed that they are continuing to investigate the incident where firearms were recovered and 95 Libyan nationals who appeared in court on Monday are facing charges of contravening the immigration act.

SAPS detectives said they cannot rule out the possibility that the farm that is accredited as a security training site is allegedly