Ninety-five Libyans arrested at an ‘illegal military base’ in Mpumalanga will appear in court on Monday. They are reportedly linked to a Libyan strongman allied with Russia who once tried to overthrow the UN-backed government in Tripoli.
The 95 Libyan nationals arrested in a raid on what appeared to be a security training site converted into an illegal military training base on a farm near White River, Mpumalanga, are reportedly on the payroll of eastern Libyan military strongman General Khalifa Haftar, who has also been a close ally of the private Russian military company Wagner and of the Russian government more generally.
Russia, and in particular, Wagner, have been highly active in Libya since 2018, fighting on the side of the Libyan alternative government based at Benghazi and Tobruk in the east of the country, which once tried to topple the United Nations-backed government in the west of the country with its capital in Tripoli.
The Libyan nationals will appear in the White River Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 29 July. They will face charges relating to the contravention of the Immigration Act after they entered South Africa with visas that were acquired through misrepresentation in Tunis, Tunisia, according to the Department of Home Affairs. They are being held in custody.
In 2019, Haftar and his military coalition, which he has himself styled as the Libyan National Army, reached the outskirts of Tripoli before being stopped and then thrown back by the forces of the Tripoli government, greatly reinforced by Turkey.
Jalel Harchaoui, an expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told Daily Maverick that according to his sources, the South African company providing the training – named as Milites Dei Security Services (MDSS) or Milites Dei Academy – had refused to conduct the training in Libya and insisted that the 95 trainees come to White River.
That was what had resulted in the police raid and their capture. He noted that the eastern Libyan government has acknowledged that the 95 Libyans involved had been sent from Benghazi.
Harchaoui said Libya’s eastern government had implicity acknowledged its involvement when its foreign minister Abdul Hadi àl-Hawaij said he was following up on the Libyans detained in South Africa and would endeavour to provide them with legal support.
Harchaoui said that his sources told him that specifically it was one of Haftar’s sons Khaled or Saddam who were responsible for arranging the training. The sons were taking over the active management of the Libyan National Army, as Haftar himself is now 81 and becoming less active.
Harchaoui contrasted the South African operation with the recent media exposé that the Haftar family had contracted ex-Irish soldiers, working for a company called Irish Training Solutions, to train the 166 Infantry Brigade of the Libyan National Army. That training had been done in the east of Libya.
Harchaoui said the Haftar family owned vast amounts of money and appeared to have decided to spend some of it on diversifying the training of the best special forces money could buy.
He also suggested that the military training by the Irish company and the South African company violated the UN arms embargo which has been in force since 2011 following the outbreak of civil war between former Libyan dictator and Muammar Gaddafi and his opponents.
Harchaoui said this was because the UN arms embargo applied not only to the provision of physical arms, but also to military services such as training.
Daily Maverick was told that it was likely that the US tipped off the SA authorities about the White River training camp because of the close cooperation between Haftar and the Russian state.
‘More charges possible’
SA Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said more charges could be laid at a later stage.
The SAPS said that on Wednesday, 24 July, the acting provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, received information about the camp and convened the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, which included the Department of Home Affairs and Police Intelligence. A joint operation was carried out on Friday.
The Ministry of Police and SAPS said that the site, initially designated as a training facility, had been converted into an illegal military training base.
City Press reported that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Saturday said it appeared that a White River security company, MDSS, had conducted military training at the camp under the guise of security training.
“The illegal military training base discovered in White River in Mpumalanga had elaborate structures, similar to what one would find at a legitimate military training camp,” Mchunu said in a Facebook post.
MDSS is registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA). On Friday, PSiRA announced that the week before it had learnt that MDSS “is allegedly conducting military-style training for, amongst others, Libyan nationals, on a farm in White River, Mpumalanga”.
PSiRA said it had instructed MDSS to immediately cease all training activities and had deployed its inspectorate to inspect the premises to ensure compliance.
“PSiRA, together with other government departments, were naturally concerned about these activities and took immediate steps to conduct preliminary investigations and, consequently, PSiRA shut down such training,” said the authority.
According to its website, MDSS specialises in military-style security, such as armed guarding, patrolling, farm security and VIP protection.
The company also offers security courses at Milites Dei Academy. Its head office is in Peebles Valley outside White River.
When asked for comment, MDSS said it would release a press statement soon.
The company says it only deploys staff who are accredited by PSiRA and the SAPS and trained in military-style skills.
Police Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi told Daily Maverick, “The company is accredited to provide training for security services.”
He added, “There are distinctive characteristics of a facility for security training and military training.”
The SAPS reported that the Libyans were housed in military tents and that military training equipment was found at the site, including licensed firearms.
Additionally, during the takedown operation on Friday, police found dagga and cocaine. They said they found other drugs at the site which they had sent to the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria to identify.
“We take any threat to the security and stability of our province and country very seriously,” said acting Provincial Commissioner Mkhwanazi.
“This operation demonstrates our commitment to acting swiftly and decisively against any activities that could undermine our national interests and ensure the safety of our citizens.”
‘Respect our laws or face consequences’
On Saturday, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber welcomed the arrests.
“One operation at a time, we must restore the rule of law. Following a major joint operation by Home Affairs, SA Police Service and other law enforcement authorities, the department is on the ground ensuring that anyone who breached immigration laws is processed through the court,” said Schreiber.
“Respect our laws or there will be consequences.”
One action at a time, we must restore the rule of law. Following a joint operation by DHA, SAPS and other law enforcement authorities, Home Affairs is processing the suspects through the court process for deportation and blacklisting. Respect our laws or face consequences. https://t.co/6rt329fgCU
— Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) July 26, 2024The Department of Home Affairs said it had cancelled the irregularly acquired visas and was working with law enforcement authorities to look at all options, including deportation. The visa cancellation means that the 95 Libyans are now undocumented foreign nationals.
#PoliceMinistry During the takedown operation, police also found dagga and cocaine. Some of the other drugs found in their possession are being sent to the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria to identify them as illegal substances. NP pic.twitter.com/KPsN7MlmFy
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) July 27, 2024Police Minister Mchunu, along with Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale and the national commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, visited the farm in White River on Saturday.