SA denies backing rebels

South Africa's foreign affairs ministry has dismissed claims that the government is arming Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) rebels fighting to overthrow President Laurent-Desire Kabila.

The allegation, which echoes a similar accusation levelled at South Africa by Kabila himself, was made by Bantu Holomisa, leader of South Africa's opposition United Democratic Movement. He told the South African news agency, SAPA, that he would soon submit a report detailing Pretoria's destabilisation activities in DRC to the United Nations. He called on the government to declare what class of weaponry they had sold to Rwanda and
Uganda.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Khangelani Hlongwane told IRIN on Friday: "There is no truth in claims made by President Kabila or Bantu Holomisa that South Africa is arming rebels anywhere in Africa. The South African government's commitment to eradicating conflicts on our continent is well-known and has been proved by our continuous engagement in conflict resolution efforts in Africa."

Hlongwane acknowledged, however, that there are elements and individuals within South Africa who provide support to rebel movements such as UNITA in Angola and those in the DRC. "It is difficult to know everybody and every network that has been providing support to rebel movements during the apartheid-era government. But to accuse the present government of
conniving with any rebel movements is ridiculous."

Rwanda has also denied importing arms from South Africa. "Since the Congo war ended, South Africa stopped selling arms to us, it is a good work of fiction for one to allege that we are getting free arms from South Africa," Major Emmanuel Ndahiro, the spokesman for the Rwanda Defence Ministry, told IRIN on Friday.