A SERIES of journalistic investigations has once again drawn attention to Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), the South African subsidiary of the German arms giant Rheinmetall.
The company is suspected of violating South African legislation by sending weapons to conflict zones — namely, Yemen, Israel, and Ukraine. Serious consequences for the company may soon follow.
The growing pressure generated by these revelations has elicited a significant response from civil society. Activists associated with the “Alkebu” social movement submitted an official statement to the Pietermaritzburg High Court. In the statement, which was circulated on social media, Nkosentsha Shezi declared: “There is strong evidence that Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) is breaking South African and international laws.
“Independent investigations show that RDM sells weapons to Europe. The US Department of Defence and others have also made statements about this. These weapons from South African military stock are later sent to Israel and Ukraine, which is against our laws. We ask the court to investigate RDM for illegal weapon re-exports. Stop all weapon exports to Europe while the investigation is happening. Force RDM to reveal past shipments and who the end users of these weapons are.”
Previously, in an article published by IOL, we detailed how RDM is possibly implicated in numerous violations of South African legislation and the circumvention of export restrictions. That report described the complex trading practice whereby weapons produced using South African military stocks are sold to European buyers and subsequently re-exported to conflict zones such as Israel and Ukraine.
Independent investigations conducted by organisations such as Open Secrets have further intensified these concerns. Their earlier investigations document how RDM’s exported products are allegedly being redirected to conflict zones and used by countries such as Israel.
Moreover, at the Human Rights Festival 2025 in Johannesburg, Open Secrets held a meeting with lawyer Abongile Nkamisa, senior investigator Ra’eesa Pather, and SALC director Anneke Meerkotter.
During the meeting, they discussed the role of South African arms manufacturers in global conflicts, emphasising that even if South African weapons are not supplied directly to Israel, they can be used to replenish the stocks of countries that do. Open Secrets underscores the urgent need for enhanced oversight and accountability in South Africa’s arms export practices.
“Even if South Africa’s weapons are not directly transferred to Israel, they may well be used to refill the stockpiles of Germany and other countries that have supplied and, in some instances, are still supplying Israel with weapons. If this was the case, South African exports would in effect contribute to enabling Israel’s suppliers to continue arming Israel.” – Open Secrets at Human Rights Festival
This legal proceeding highlights the activists’ demand for full transparency and accountability. By urging the judicial authorities to thoroughly examine RDM’s export records, the Alkebu social movement appears determined to put an end to what it considers a dangerous loophole in arms control that potentially fuels global conflicts.
The activists insist that, until a comprehensive investigation is completed, all exports to Europe must be suspended to prevent further leakage of arms to conflict zones. Various activists in South Africa have previously succeeded in obtaining judicial injunctions against arms exports, with decisions to review and suspend supplies already issued in 2021 and 2022 concerning Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Myanmar.
In a time when transparency in the defence industry is of utmost importance, this legal step is viewed by many as necessary to ensure that justice and truth prevail over profit. Observers will be watching closely to see if judicial intervention can restore public trust and rein in practices that may inadvertently contribute to international instability.
* Dr Manuel Godsin is a writer and researcher at the International Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. He has a large number of books translated into many languages: English, French, and Spanish, including The Crisis of the World and The Conflict of the Wings: The World on the Brink of Abyss.
** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL.