The year 2000 started on a high note for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) with a massive rescue effort in flood-stricken Mozambique, and ended on another after the Malaysian government signed one of the biggest weapon deals for South African G5-cannons with Denel in eight years.

Minister of Defence Lekota is pleased with his weapon industry and the defence force's progress in the past year and full of hope that 2001 will hold even more positive prospects.

"The floods in Mozambique and the quick intervention by the South African helicopter crews, saving more than 15,000 lives in the process, raised the profile of our defence force in the eyes of the international community significantly. It also did something more profound: where this same force has been one of threat to our country's neighbours in the apartheid years, it changed to a helping hand in times of trouble with this effort.

"In the eyes of the continent and the world it placed South Africa on a pedestal as an icon of solidarity and a true practitioner of this concept. The African renaissance was a mere theory before and it proved what is possible if countries pool their skills."

South Africa, the US, Germany, Portugal, Malawi and various other countries assisted with humanitarian relief aid in Mozambique, rescuing the drowning and delivering food supplies to areas cut off for weeks on end.

According to Lekota last year also saw the end of South Africa's intervention in Lesotho that started two years ago when violence erupted in this mountain kingdom after many did not accept the outcome of general elections. South Africa and Botswana, acting as members of the Southern African Development Community (SADEC), intervened in the small, but bloody, upheaval in which some fifty soldiers from both South Africa and Lesotho lost their lives.

After calm was restored a small force from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana stayed to assist the Lesotho defence force in re-training its forces and maintaining peace in the run up to new elections.

Stabilisation in the region

"With the conclusion of the SANDF's involvement in Lesotho, South Africa has given a firm indication that we will help with stabilisation in the region. I believe we made a major contribution towards making real the promises of SADEC and proving that it is not a weak alliance, but a regional structure with teeth."

South Africa also has played a significant role so far in trying to stabilise the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by diplomatic intervention or by promising peacekeeping troops whenever the United Nations (UN) decide the time is right to send such a force into the country.

Lekota is hopeful that the intervention process in the DRC has not reached a dead halt, but that it is merely a slower process in comparison with other situations because of its complexity.

"We are acquiring the necessary equipment for the peacekeeping deployment in the DRC. We are awaiting a final decision by the UN. The failure to intervene is mainly because of some countries' unwillingness to participate. Meanwhile SADEC defence ministers have met to decide on disarmament plans for conflicting forces in the DRC. The call is on South Africa to ensure the Lusaka agreement (for a peaceful settlement) can be implemented and I'm sure we will make progress."

According to Lekota, South Africa has further proved its commitment to stabilising the continent by supplying specialist troops to the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) for deployment in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Even though only a handful of officers will be provided by South Africa, all of them are highly specialised in their fields and will be utilised as commanders in different sectors, such as helicopter operations.

"At the same time peace talks are continuing in Burundi, the Great Lakes and even in Israel and Palestine. South Africa is ever-present in these talks as one of the only credible and acceptable forces to assist with stabilisation in Africa."

South African Department of Defence

ARMSCOR