The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) has served the owners of Milites Dei Security Services (MDSS) with notices of suspension after determining that military training it carried out at its White River facility was illegal, and was making use of Libyan instructors.
During a media briefing on Wednesday 7 August, PSiRA CEO Manabela Chauke provided an update on the on-going investigation into the illegal military training camp in Mpumalanga where 95 Libyan nationals were arrested last month.
Chauke sought to reassure the public that PSiRA’s priority remains “the safeguarding of our citizens and upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism within the private security industry.”
PSiRA first became aware of the allegations against the camp on 18 July 2024, after being informed by the South African Police Service. On 19 July, the PSiRA Law Enforcement Team Was directed to investigate the facility. On 21 July, PSiRA issued a directive to “cease training operations” to the camp, with immediate effect. The owners of the facility responded on 23 July, confirming the cessation of training, and offered to cooperate with the investigation. Constant surveillance was maintained from 19 July, until arrests were carried out on 26 July.
The scope of PSiRA’s investigation into Milites Dei Security Services was focused on the training provided to the 95 Libyan nationals, along with the accreditation of the training camp, the training programme and the training infrastructure at the site. Chauke revealed that the illegal military training camp that was discovered was not the same facility that PSiRA had previously accredited. Located 7.5 km from the accredited facility, is the separate facility. This separate facility was determined to be for illegal military training, due to the presence of fortified trenches, something Chauke noted was not required for security training.
PSiRA confirmed that MDSS was registered and accredited to train security personnel in Security Grades E to C, which could typically take 4 weeks to complete collectively. However, the training provided to the Libyan nationals was of a longer duration and included extensive physical activities with military style structure. The training instructors went as far as to use military ranks. These training instructors were not accredited through PSiRA, and when asked, Chauke revealed they were Libyan nationals, part of the 95 that were apprehended.
Some of the preliminary findings disclosed during the briefing include that no local security grade training was offered, and the training standard was deemed foreign and adopted from other countries. There was a clear contravention of immigration law by both the facility owners and the Libyan nationals. Further, there was no authorisation or exemption granted to MDSS by the National Regulator for Conventional Arms Control (NRCAC), which puts the camp in contravention of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
The activities of MDSS, its owners and the personnel at the camp were “in violation of various criminal statutes,” therefore PSiRA indicated the next step in the investigation is the consideration of charges and formal prosecution against those involved.
PSiRA confirmed that as of 6 August 2024, MDSS and its directors were “served with notices of suspensions.”
