South African authorities arrested Daniel Duggan in 2022 following allegations that he provided unauthorized military training to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China.
The arrest stems from suspected violations of the Foreign Military Assistance Act, a legislative framework designed to prevent the use of South African soil for unregulated military operations. Under this law, any individual providing military assistance—including training, consultancy, or logistical support—to a foreign military force must obtain prior authorization from the South African government.
Duggan, a former member of the Australian Army with experience in special operations, is accused of bypassing these statutory requirements. The investigation focuses on the nature of the instruction provided to Chinese military personnel and whether the activities were coordinated with or concealed from state security apparatuses.
The Foreign Military Assistance Act prohibits the provision of military services to foreign states without a permit, a measure intended to ensure that private military contracting does not conflict with South Africa’s foreign policy or national security interests. The act carries significant penalties for those found to be operating as unauthorized military contractors within the country’s borders.
The case emerged during a period of increased scrutiny by South African intelligence and security services regarding the presence of foreign military instructors and the potential for clandestine training programs to operate without government oversight.
Legal proceedings concerning the unauthorized training activities are ongoing in the South African judicial system, where the court must determine the extent of the breach of the Foreign Military Assistance Act.
