Maritime Piracy and South African Law
04 February 2014
Since 1991, Somalia has experienced a State of civil war, which has encouraged many Somali pirates to commit a predominant... number of piratical seizures around the Gulf of Aden. International defensive methods employed at sea are weak due to the lack of government accountability in Somalia from where these pirates commence their expeditions. This article highlights some of the efforts that South Africa has made in assisting to combat the crime at sea, but also its position on prosecuting and sentencing pirates in our national courts.