White River, Mpumalanga – The tranquil beauty of the Mpumalanga bushveld has been shattered by the discovery of a clandestine military training camp, sending a wave of fear and anger through the local community. The camp, located on Pebbles Farm near White River, was the scene of a dramatic police raid on Friday, 27 July, resulting in the arrest of 95 Libyan nationals.
The operation, which involved a joint effort by South African Crime Intelligence and the Department of Home Affairs, brought to an abrupt end a clandestine operation that had been operating under the very noses of local residents for months.
The Libyan nationals, who arrived in South Africa through OR Tambo International Airport in April, had been granted visas under the pretense of training as security personnel. However, suspicions quickly arose that their true intentions were far more sinister.
"We noticed suspicious activities and reported them to the police," said Ernest Lekhuleni, a resident of Masoyi, a community situated near the training camp. "There's fear that similar camps exist in nearby areas like Umjindi, but the purpose of their training remains unclear."
The community's anxieties were not unfounded. Residents of Mganduzweni, a village not far from the training camp, described a pattern of intimidation and disruptive behaviour by the Libyan nationals.
"They would buy alcohol and fight over girls," said Sizwe Mashego, a resident of Mganduzweni. "They would come selling blankets, and when we buy them, they would go straight to buy alcohol and cigarettes and dine with girls from the village."
Another resident, who requested anonymity, described a chilling encounter with the Libyan nationals. "One day when a fight for girls broke out, they threatened to shoot and started making gestures as if they are shooting. That's when we asked serious questions about who they are. One guy who works on the farm where they stay told us that they were soldiers from Libya, and we were confused as to what people from such a country are doing on our shores."
The Libyan nationals' presence was not only disruptive but also instilled a sense of fear within the community. "Knowing that the people who frequent our village are soldiers in training made us scared, and some managed to inform police," said the anonymous resident.
The fear was not confined to the local community. Security guards working at the camp also felt threatened by the Libyan nationals. "These people used to threaten us, saying one day they will shoot us," said one guard. "They even made gestures that they would randomly shoot at us if we tried stopping them from stealing blankets from the camp and selling them to the community."
The guards described a pattern of behaviour where the Libyan nationals would leave the camp to drink alcohol in the village, only to return in the early morning hours for training. "They possibly had girlfriends in the village," said one guard.
The situation escalated to the point where one of the Libyan trainees attempted to disarm a police officer during an investigation. "While we did our investigation, one of them tried to disarm me, but I managed to ward him off," said the officer. "They are arrogant and talk their language among themselves as if they don’t understand English."
The discovery of the secret military training camp has sent shockwaves through the Masoyi community, with residents expressing relief that the police have intervened. "We feel like we are under attack, but with the police intervention, we hope that these operations will be completely shut down," said Lekhuleni.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu visited the site on Saturday, 28 July, to assess the situation further. He assured the community that there was no immediate threat to their safety.
"There is no immediate threat to community safety," said police spokesman Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
