South African defence authorities are refusing to say why it has taken so long to sign a maritime security agreement with their Mozambican counterparts.
This is despite 30 percent of the world’s oil trade passing around Cape Point and through the Mozambique Channel, and 98 percent of South Africa’s trade along this route.
Meanwhile, Somali pirates are extending their reach thousands of miles south towards South Africa. The first pirate attack in the channel was on December 28, and South Africa deployed a frigate to patrol the area at the beginning of the year.
The country’s strategy to combat piracy in Southern African Development Community waters was approved by the cabinet only in April.
Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu refused to answer questions at a press conference on the signing of a memorandum of understanding between her and her Mozambican counterpart, Filipe Nyusi, in Pretoria on Wednesday.
She said such questions should rather be asked at another forum.
The memorandum of understanding has placed emphasis on the Mozambique Channel, extending to broader SADC waters.
It will lead to information sharing, and co-operation in training, intelligence, patrols and military development support.
Sisulu, flanked by the SANDF’s new chief, General Solly Shoke, said “what touches Mozambique touches South Africa”, while secretary of defence Mpumi Mpofu painted a grim picture for South Africa and the SADC’s maritime security.
The two countries were working to resolve maritime security issues, Mpofu said.
“The short- and medium-term goals for maritime security are focusing on deterrence and enforcement of state authority at sea.
“This will be the deployment of maritime surface and air assets in SADC waters to extend deterrence beyond South African waters.”
Piracy was a source of serious concern as it had an effect on the country and region’s ability to trade.
“With 30 percent of the world’s oil supply passing round the Cape (and) through the Mozambique Channel, piracy lies at the heart of South Africa and the region’s maritime security,” Mpofu said.
“There are many challenges, including the vastness of the areas affected. In 2005 the reach of pirates was 165 nautical miles off the coast, but now it is 1 300 nautical miles.”
The global economic cost of piracy was an estimated $12 billion (about R81bn) a year, Mpofu said.
Naval forces were spending $2bn a year fighting piracy, he said.
Ransoms cost an estimated $148m a year, prosecution of pirates $31m, and the cost to regional economies was $1.25bn.
South Africa’s approach would include engaging the Somali transitional federal government through the AU, lobbying the international community to strengthen the AU Mission in Somalia, and seeking a regional SADC response to piracy.
Asked why it had taken so long to devise plans to protect the country and SADC’s maritime trade routes, Sisulu said it had not been that long. – Pretoria News