A training camp in South Africa, where 95 Libyans were detained last month, has been deemed illegal by the country’s security industry regulatory body. The camp, located near the town of White River, was found to be providing military-style training to individuals from a country in conflict, violating South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act. The Libyans have been in custody since July 26 when police raided the remote camp.
The company running the facility, Milites Dei Academy, was registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) but the camp itself was not accredited, according to PSIRA chief Manabela Chauke. An investigation revealed that some of the instructors were not South African and the training methods were foreign, with some trainers utilizing military ranks. Chauke did not disclose the nationalities of the instructors or the identity of the entity that contracted the training. Reports suggest the group may have been sent to South Africa to train for the Libyan faction of Khalifa Haftar, who controls the eastern region of the war-torn country.
Chauke stated that South African law prohibits offering military or security training to foreign nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict. He emphasized that the camp’s design and infrastructure strongly suggested a military-style training environment.
Milites Dei Academy has been accused of violating various laws, and criminal charges are being prepared against the owners. Their license has been suspended. The company’s head has denied wrongdoing, claiming the men were being trained as security guards and possessed valid study permits and visas. However, the South African government asserted that the men had obtained visas through irregular means in Tunisia based on false representations. These visas have been revoked.
The detained Libyans have been charged with violating immigration rules. Their case has been adjourned until August 26 for further investigation, with authorities leaving open the possibility of additional charges.
