Hawks raid suspected firearm training camp on Limpopo farm

Police are investigating after law enforcement raided an alleged firearm training facility on a farm in Modimolle, Limpopo.

Several firearms and ammunition were seized during the operation on Thursday.

Military training not ruled out

The Hawks conducted the raid, with the public order policing, the local criminal record centre and a tactical response team, after receiving a tip-off about suspicious activities at the farm.

“The purpose of the training is not yet clear, but military-related training cannot be ruled out,” said Hawks spokesperson Lethunya Mmuroa.    

He said licensed rifles, pistols, and ammunition were seized. It is believed these were used for training purposes.

“The manner in which the firearms and ammunition landed at the farm is still under investigation. No one was arrested,” said Mmuroa.

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95 Libyans arrested in Mpumalanga

This comes after 95 Libyans were arrested at a suspected military training camp near White River, Mpumalanga, last month.

The farm in White River was accredited as a security training facility but was allegedly used as an illegal military training camp.

Licensed firearms, along with military training equipment, were also found at that camp.

The Department of Home Affairs has since cancelled the visas of the 95 Libyans that were arrested, with Minister Leon Schreiber saying the visas were “acquired through misrepresentation” in Tunis, Tunisia.

The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) on Wednesday said the camp has been closed and the licence of the owner of the security company has been suspended.

The camp was found on land owned by Milites Dei Security Services (MDSS).

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PSIRA said it had initially inspected the farm and found the site compliant. However, PSIRA CEO Manabela Chauke said further investigations found a second training facility located a few kilometres away from the original one.

“The second [unaccredited] training facility is the same facility referred to as the illegal Libyan military training camp,” he said.

Libyans say they want to return home

On Monday, the 95 Libyans made their second appearance in the White River Magistrate’s Court. They are facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act.

The case was postponed to 26 August.

The Libyans then expressed their unhappiness at this and refused to get back in the vehicle that was meant to transport them back to prison in Mbombela.

One of them said they just wanted to go back to Libya.

“Today, [we are not going] home. What [is the] motherf***ing problem?”

A representative from their legal team had to convince them to cooperate with the authorities.

“They feel that it’s a very long postponement to remain in custody and they are very unhappy because according to them, they came here to study with legal visas,” said Advocate Nico du Plessis.

ALSO READ: ‘What’s the motherf***ing problem?’ – Libyans demand to go home in standoff outside court