M A Y 2 0 1 2 • S A S O L D I E R - Department of Defence

2011 review of defenceSADC Defence Committeeunited against piracyS A S O L D I E RBy Cpl Ally RakomaPhoto: Sgt Elias MahumaThe Southern AfricanDevelopment Community(SADC) Defence Chiefs, andheads of intelligence agenciesmet to work out a joint regionalanti-piracy and maritime crimestrategy at the Velmore Estate outsidePretoria from 24 to 27 July 2011.The Minister of Defence and MilitaryVeterans, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu, accompaniedby the Chief of the SANDF,Gen Solly Shoke, addressed thoseattending the welcoming function anddescribed the meeting as a historicoccasion, as this was the first time thatall the Defence Chiefs of the SADChad gathered in the same place, andSouth Africa and its SADC neighbourswere ready to work collectively on ajoint anti-piracy and maritime-crimestrategy.Minister Sisulu said that the effectivenessof the meeting would begreater if individual countries combinedtheir efforts rather than ifeach member country had a plan ofits own. It was important that theSADC Defence Committee shouldsynchronise its legislative, political,economic and judicial policies to allowthe armed forces of member countriesto operate swiftly and effectivelyagainst maritime criminals, includingpirates.She said: “The SADC member statesshould put in place robust laws to curbpiracy effectively. The current practiceof ‘catch-and-release’ of pirates shouldbe stopped, since it allows experiencedpirates to become more sophisticatedand there have been around 1 600acts of piracy, which have causedimmeasurable harm.”Ms Sisulu added that the increasein piracy off the Horn of Africa wasdirectly linked to the continuinginsecurity and the absence of theMs Lindiwe Sisulu, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans,stressing that the SADC must establish robust rules of engagementfor anti-piracy during the welcoming function.rule of law. In this respect piracy hadincreased the cost of trade. She said: “Asregions are increasingly regarded asthreatened by piracy, they are seen asunstable, or volatile, and entire tradingroutes are altered, insurance premiumsincrease, and cargo shippers usealternative ports to pick up and delivertheir goods.”The meeting provided a forum toestablish a common framework of cooperationand a regional network ofmaritime nations for a free and securemaritime domain. Regional issues ofmutual interest were discussed andthe strategic ramifications of the SADCinitiative were highlighted as a majordevelopment in the maritime arena.Regional maritime security capabilitieswere required that would make theSADC region a world-class maritimeplayer and this would boost economicdevelopment.There was much discussion oftransnational maritime networksthat posed a threat, humantrafficking, piracy, terrorism andother factors that could retardregional maritime and generaleconomic interests. The provision ofmaritime environmental protectionand maritime resource coordinationwould ensure the safetyof seafarers, chartered vessels andother shipping. Coastal monitoring,surveillance, identification andtracking would be invaluable to thenavies, government entities, portsauthorities and maritime industry.The Chief of the SANDF pointed outthat SADC member states wouldhave to take responsibility fortheir own maritime security in cooperationwith other regions, taskforces, navies and role-players.(For more information please readthe article as published in SA Soldier,September 2011 edition, page 22.)M A Y 2 0 1 2 • 35