There are many signs that the terror group ISIS and other extremist Muslim groups already have a foothold in South Africa and it would be extremely irresponsible of the ANC government not to take decisive action against this threat.
Thus, the FF Plus is calling on Ms Naledi Pandor, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, to engage with the Mozambique government to discuss the matter.
Minister Pandor must request Mozambique to get its house in order and take action to address the threat before the entire Southern Africa is destabilised.
In turn, South Africa’s government must seriously focus on, among other things, the country’s borders and how to avert the risk there as a frontline defence.
Unfortunately, it is a well-known and alarming fact that South Africa’s borders are permeable and the country’s intelligence services have drastically deteriorated as it was recently mostly employed for ANC infighting.
According to news reports, quite a number of South Africans are implicated in the recent attack on the town Palma in the North of Mozambique. It confirms numerous reports over the past few years that the group is actively recruiting members in South Africa. (Institute for Security Studies, 23 July 2020: “How Serious is the Islamic State threat to attack South Africa?”)
It would be naive to think that ISIS is recruiting people in South Africa, but will not make real attempts to systematically expand its influence and ideology across the country.
The threat is imminent and real. Every South African must take note of it.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Dr Corné Mulder on FF Plus
