Mercenary incident won't affect SA's image: Lekota

South Africa's good image as a peace keeper in Africa will not be tarnished by the recent mercenary incident in neighbouring Zimbabwe. Mosioua Lekota, the minister of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), spoke at length on the issue while on his electioneering visit in Bushbuckridge, Limpopo, earlier today. His comments follow the arrest of 65 mercenaries, including some South Africans, in Harare, Zimbabwe, recently.

Lekota said the South Africans in the mercenary group will have to face whatever punishment is meted out to them by the Zimbabwe government. Even though the death penalty was abolished in South Africa, he said, it will not save them from the gallows should Zimbabwe decide to hang them.

Mobbed by a group of school children Lekota said South Africa's image will not be affected by the matter, saying the South Africans within the arrested group are not members of the SANDF and were not sent by the force. Their involvement in the alleged mercenary activities will therefore have no harm to country to country relations, he added. A diplomatic problem, he said, will only arise should evidence that the SANDF was involved in the skirmish.

Lekota warned that the South African mercenary suspects will not escape South African law either. He warned that should they return from Zimbabwe, they will be charged under the Foreign Military Assistance Act.