Occasional Paper

Mercenaries and Mischief : The Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Bill

“On 30 April 1997, the South African Cabinet approved the Regulation of Foreign Military
Assistance Bill [B54-97]1 pending submission and approval by Parliament during the 1997
session.The legislation aims to prevent South African companies and citizens from
rendering military or military-related services abroad without the Government’s authority – particularly those services which may fall within the ambit of the new style of mercenary activity (such as the much publicised exploits of Executive Outcomes in Angola, Sierra Leone and its proxy involvement in Papua New Guinea).”