Sipho Mabena
The repairs were done as part of the controversial Operation Thusano, which has seen payments to the tune of R1.4 billion made to Cuba.
The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has demonstrated the benefits of its controversial alliance with Cubans, Project Thusano, by parading a fleet of Mamba armoured personnel carriers, which were repaired as part of the collaboration. The Mamba is a 4×4 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle powered by a Mercedes Benz turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine, and offers protection against land mines, grenades, fire bombs as well as small arms fire. The four-wheel drive SA-made armoured vehicle with a capacity of up to 10 people, excluding driver, was first produced in the late 1980’s and is capable of a range of uses, including border...