Weapon of Mass Destruction Missing

Added by Laura Oneale on December 27, 2013.

Saved under Editorial, Laura Oneale, South Africa, World

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Weapons of Mass Destruction

In South Africa, a weapon of mass destruction is missing. This is a serious threat to the peace and stability of the country. Furthermore, it is a direct implication of trust of the company and a director, Mr. J Erasmus who holds exclusive rights to this weapon.

The weapon of mass destruction known, as the Dillon Gatling Mini-gun, is a six-barreled machine gun capable of firing up to 3,000 rounds per minute. There are some names given to this extremely dangerous weapon. In Iraq, it is called the “breath of Allah,” or referred to as a “fire-spitting dragon.”

Mr. Erasmus negotiated with top officials from the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) and the Special forces of South Africa (SASF) to import this weapon. This weapon was imported to South African for evaluation purchases by the Special Forces and the South African Defense Force and paid for by agreement by Erasmus’ company. The National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) and its secretariat, the Directorate Conventional Arms Control Committee (DCAC) was kept informed thereof at all times.

Erasmus did receive this weapon and conducted a demonstration to SA Special Forces and various other guests on November 3, 2011, at Murray Hill, Gauteng, the South African Special Forces (SASF) Training School. However, in March 2012, the weapon was confiscated due to false affidavits and allegations rose from SASF in order to discredit Erasmus. He was assigned exclusive rights of safely securing the weapon and to ensure that this weapon of mass destruction did not disappear or get into the hands of unscrupulous people. The responsibility and terms of conditions set by the American authorities pertaining to this high risk weapon weighed heavy on Erasmus. A specific requirement he had to meet as part of the agreement was to reveal the whereabouts and condition of this weapon on a regular basis to the American Embassy in South Africa.

The Mini-gun was placed in a secured area under the South African Police (SAP) protection. Due to the validity and responsibility pertaining to the sensitive issue of this mini-gun, the South African authorities formed an agreement with Erasmus and allowed him to examine the weapon on a regular basis.

Over the last few weeks, Erasmus has been lead around on the leash trying to get the whereabouts of this weapon; the SAPS deny having any involvement and some high-ranking authorities are side stepping the issue. Erasmus has received allegations that the Dillon Mini-gun is at Denel (the largest manufacture of defense equipment in South Africa) for the purpose of reverse engineering. Denel has a history of copying foreign goods and then turning it out as local manufacture.

In an attempt to find the answer to the missing weapon, Erasmus wrote a letter to several Ministers of Cabinets, including President Jacob Zuma, to inform them of the implications of this weapon being withheld from inspection. To date there has been no response to the letter sent. Perhaps this issue is not regarded as a serious problem or it is a time delay for the South African company to complete its review of how the design of such a weapon is made.

Due to the timing, and for the sake of not instigating any offence or inappropriate understandings, Mr. Erasmus will have no other option but to report this problem to the U.S. authorities without further delay.

Erasmus is knowledgeable about the fanatical, fundamentalist and other groups of unsavory members who are contracted to the high levels of corruption in the country. Taking into account that this weapon could have been a mega game changer in the Congo African Republic (CAR), where South Africa lost 15 troops, is not without concern.

This is a snapshot of the letter sent on December 20 2013, to the President of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma, requesting his intervention with the missing weapon. To date no response has been forthcoming. Upon request, the original letter and copies sent to various embassies are available for inspection.

It is obvious that there are various people from Cabinet level through to the Generals in the SANDF who need this arms company for the continuation of the corruption practiced.

Recently in a court case heard at the North Gauteng High Court Pretoria, Case number 46554/12, the Honorable Judge Tuchten said, “Well what other inference can there be if this is a weapon in which the Armed Forces are interested in their various origin, and you are the people who brought it in, but they do not want to continue with the business. What other inference can there be other than they want somebody else to piggy back / springboard into the market on your efforts.“

Erasmus and his Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) partners had instituted legal proceedings against the National Convention Arms Control Arms Control Committee (NCACC). Jeff Radebe is the chairperson of the NCACC and this department was previously implicated in corruption.