Ben Coetzee, Senior Researcher, Arms Management Programme

Stockpiling of ammunition intended for use by State security forces is a necessary but inherently hazardous practice. The stockpiling of damaged, redundant and obsolete ammunition in inappropriate facilities and locations, rather than its safe disposal and destruction, borders on gross negligence.

The devices stored in ammunition stockpiles were solely designed to explode. The singular purpose complicates the management of ammunition stockpiles. This predestined outcome implies that, in order to reduce the threat to within acceptable levels, trained personnel are needed to manage the risk of explosion. The current practice of piling ammunition into a room somewhere in a compound – out of site of the public - may therefore not be the best way to manage ammunition and other explosive stockpiles.

History indicates that neglected ammunition stockpiles will, at some point, explode without warning, resulting in significant property damage and death. These explosions quickly become public knowledge and bring the world’s attention to bear on the conditions of stockpiles in the country. The international community will ask what the government in question did to prevent the tragedy from occurring, and will be criticised for not taking enough preventative action. In many cases there was policy and legislation in place that compelled the governments to effectively manage their ammunition stockpiles.

The last decade has seen at least 13 uncontrolled explosions in Africa. The last known explosion took place in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam on 30 April 2009. These types of explosions at ammunition stockpile facilities have caused the demise of thousands of civilians and thousands more have been injured. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes in proximity to the ammunition storage facilities, and there has been millions of dollars of property damage. There is also the continuous risk that the area was not properly cleared of unexploded explosives ordnance which may explode at any time because of inherent instability after the explosion. The ammunition remaining in the affected stockpiles may have become unstable due to the explosive forces it was subjected to, leading to subsequent explosions.

This is the result of not adhering to basic explosives management principles and not realising the risk inherent to ammunition and explosives.

The public has to insist that the management of stockpiled arms and, specifically, ammunition be subject to parliamentary oversight. The oversight has to include the complete ammunition management process. Parliamentarians have to determine if the current arms and ammunition stockpile managers have the necessary training and qualifications to be entrusted with the management of State stockpiles. The common misconception is that the military, because they handle explosives and ammunition on a daily basis, is qualified to stockpile ammunition effectively. This is not generally the case; stockpile management is a specialist field of study and only personnel trained in the management of ammunition and explosives can be entrusted with its safekeeping. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the safety and operational capability of arms and ammunition is vital throughout its lifespan and should form the basis of weapon management of both military and police arsenals.

Governments cannot afford to disregard the threat posed by mismanaged arms and ammunition stockpiles. The current contents of stockpiles have to be tested for stability and the devices that do not perform to design specifications have to be dealt with before uncontrolled explosions take place in the storage facility.

The effective management of stockpiles is to the advantage of State security forces, as it will reduce the risk of ammunition performing poorly when it is issued to personnel and it would increase the control the State has over the amount of ammunition in State stockpiles. In short, effective stockpile management will reduce the risk of loss of life and will reduce the risk of ammunition being diverted from State stockpiles for criminal use.