Weapons found in seized aircraft

The department of foreign affairs says that their investigations indicate that there were weapons on board an aircraft impounded in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the foreign affairs minister, said during her address to journalists in Pretoria. She had just returned from India where she attended the India/Brazil/South Africa Summit.

Dlamini-Zuma says that their investigations are continuing and so far they have revealed that there were South Africans on board the aircraft and that there were weapons on board the plane. The ministry also believes that the men are linked to the seven alleged South African mercenaries arrested in Equatorial Guinea.

"Our research is still going on but it does indicate that there were some South Africans along with Namibians and Angolans, it does indicate there were some weapons but we are still busy with our research and there may be a link with what was happening in Equatorial Guinea," said Dlamini-Zuma.

Dlamini-Zuma says that the department is in regular contact with the authorities in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea. She also said that the men being held in Zimbabwe will be visited by consular staff in Harare.