Fugitive Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the South African Mercenaries

This statement by Sabelo Gumedze of the Institute for Security Studies criticises the South African government for failing to implement the Anti-Mercenary Act of 2006, arguing that this inaction encourages South African mercenaries to participate in African conflicts, including alleged attempts to assist Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in Libya.

• Reports suggest that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi allegedly hired South African mercenaries to facilitate his escape from Libya and potentially overthrow the National Transitional Council of Libya, driven by a reported vow to take revenge for his father's death.
• The Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act No. 27 of 2006 (Anti-Mercenary Act) has not entered into force because President Jacob Zuma has not determined its operation date via Proclamation in the Gazette.
• The Anti-Mercenary Act includes extraterritorial jurisdiction, meaning individuals could be tried in South African courts for offences committed abroad, such as participating as a combatant for private gain or attempting to overthrow a government.
• The document cites previous instances of South African mercenary activity, including the 2004 Wonga coup involving Nick du Toit and Simon Mann, and 2009 reports of mercenaries recruited to reinstate deposed President Marc Ravalomanana of Madagascar.

APA

Gumedze, S. (n.d.). Fugitive Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the South African Mercenaries. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/fugitive-saif-al-islam-gaddafi-and-the-south-african-mercenaries

Chicago

Gumedze, Sabelo. Fugitive Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the South African Mercenaries. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/fugitive-saif-al-islam-gaddafi-and-the-south-african-mercenaries.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Gumedze |first1=Sabelo |title=Fugitive Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the South African Mercenaries |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/fugitive-saif-al-islam-gaddafi-and-the-south-african-mercenaries |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{gumedzendfugitive, author = {Gumedze, Sabelo}, title = {{Fugitive Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the South African Mercenaries}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/fugitive-saif-al-islam-gaddafi-and-the-south-african-mercenaries}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }