Private military and security laws must be tightened, says UN

South Africa needs to tighten regulation of private military and security companies to stop its citizens from becoming mercenaries around the world, a team of UN experts said. Ex-soldiers in the apartheid-era government are in high demand among private military and security companies registered in countries including the United States and Britain, the UN working group on mercenaries said.

It also congratulated South Africa for a law enacted in 2006 to restrict the hiring of mercenaries but said the legislation needed to be enforced to ensure that companies cannot recruit hired guns from the country. "There is no doubt that the regulatory regime established in South Africa for private military and security companies and individuals operating in different countries has faced challenges in terms of implementation," said Alexander Nikitin, the working group's chairman. (ANGOP)