Riyaz Patel
The Solidarity trade union wants government to drop a requirement that buyers of South African arms agree to inspections, a measure that is holding up shipments to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The requirement is contained as a clause in an export document known as an end-user certificate in which foreign arms buyers must pledge not to transfer weapons to third parties.
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been engaged in a deadly war in Yemen which has seen more than 100,000 killed, according to figures by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
Since democratic rule dawned in 1994, Pretoria has sought to reform its defence industry – once a pillar of the racist apartheid regime – by making export approvals subject to human rights considerations.
Reuters reported last month that the two Gulf allies along with Algeria and Oman were refusing to sign the document, viewing inspections as a violation of their sovereignty.
The dispute has left arms shipments to those countries in limbo.
“The government’s uncompromising stance on this issue will inevitably lead to client countries withdrawing their business from South Africa,” Solidarity said in a statement.
The trade union added that several legal opinions indicated that the inspection clause in the end-user certificate was illegal.
“Importing countries are reluctant to sign the certificate in its current format, which indicates a bleak future for further arms exports and job security in the industry,” said Solidarity.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE account for at least a third of South Africa’s arms exports. They are currently engaged in a war in Yemen and have been accused of diverting weapons to their Yemeni allies.
Requiring buyers not to transfer weapons to third parties is common practice in the international arms trade. Requiring inspections, though uncommon, is not unheard of, Reuters reported.
The Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association of South Africa said last month that the dispute over the clause was blocking around R25 billion worth of exports.
The lobbying body said an additional R50-60 billion in future business as well as up to 9,000 jobs at defence firms and supporting industries were also at risk.
