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ANC in Parly wants an independent probe into SANDF weapons theft

Weapons
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The African National Congress (ANC) Study Group in Parliament has condemned the attack at a military base in Pretoria.

It wants Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans to conduct an independent investigation into the incident.

On Tuesday, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) confirmed that a number of R4 rifles, manufactured for extreme warfare, were stolen from the Engineering Formation, Lyttelton Tek Base.

The military suspects the break-in was an inside job.

“More especially that the place is a highly security area and what is concerning is that no ordinary person that can walk into a base and identify what is stored where is it stored and how to access that place. So our investigation will indicate whether this is indeed externally or internally its people who would have the knowledge and know how that would conduct such a thing in our base,” says SANDF Spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini.

A number of suspects have been taken in for questioning.

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The ANC study group says it is concerning that such weapons are on the streets, posing a serious risk to the public.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed the SANDF for the incident, saying it has let South Africans down.

DA Spokesperson on Defence Kobus Marais says the DA will submit various questions to Minister Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to get to the bottom of this incident.

Marais has described as outrageous that the criminals could even gain access to enter what is suppose to be a highly protected military facility and grinding open a volt where the ammunition is kept.

He says this is a reminder of earlier incidents where weapons were stolen at the 9 SAI military base outside Cape Town.

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