SA coast 'unlikely' piracy target

While piracy in Somalia has decreased, the oil finds off the coast of Mozambique have made it a prime target for pirates, according to Henri Fouche, associate professor at the University of South Africa (Unisa) department of Criminology and Security Science. Many African states have not criminalised piracy, says Fouche, or if they have, they have not linked a penalty to it. “The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides the framework for the repression of piracy under international law and requires every country to criminalise piracy domestically and to prosecute offenders within that framework,” said Fouche. He added that African states had not taken this step, mainly due to a lack of political will and understanding of the process. “Furthermore, they don’t have the resources to fight piracy, especially on the offshore oil platforms that are so far off the coast in the Gulf of Guinea,” Fouche said. He does not however believe there is any chance of piracy hitting South Africa’s west coast, with the Gulf of Guinea being the new piracy hot spot and following the recent attack by pirates off the coast of Angola. “Namibia’s coast line, as well as South Africa’s west coast line, simply do not offer conditions conducive to piracy,” he said. CAPTION This is Africa's new crime hotspot.