A Hanover Park fashion designer says a pair of camouflage trousers he designed and made himself were taken by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) during an encounter that left him feeling humiliated,Cape {town} Etc reports.
Zughdi Mohammed, 34, says he was walking to a nearby shop with his wife and two-year-old son when SANDF members stopped him and questioned him about the camouflage clothing he was wearing.
The incident was highlighted in a post by CGN Crime on Facebook, carrying the message: ‘Guys respect Soldiers uniforms plz.‘
According to Mohammed, the trousers were made from fabric that belonged to a friend and were not SANDF property. He says the material had previously been a tent and had been lying with his friend for years before he recycled it into clothing.
‘I thought they were coming to compliment me’
Mohammed said he initially thought the soldiers had approached him because they liked his outfit.
In an eNCA video report, he explains that one of the soldiers called him over and told him the material was military fabric.
Mohammed disputed this, saying the fabric came from a friend and was not military property.
He said the soldier then told him that he had stolen the material and that he could be arrested if he did not hand it over.
Mohammed maintains that the trousers did not carry any military badges or insignia, although the camouflage pattern resembled military clothing.
Escorted home to change
Mohammed says the situation became particularly uncomfortable when armed SANDF members allegedly escorted him back to his home.
There, he changed out of the trousers, which he says were then taken by the soldiers.
He explained that he did not resist because his wife and young son were with him and he did not want the situation to escalate.
@encanews Cape Town fashion designer Zughdi Mohammed is demanding the SANDF return his camouflage pants, which they took from him earlier this month. The Defence Act states that official SANDF camouflage is a registered military uniform reserved for authorised members. #eNCA’s Ayesha Ismail reports. #DStv403 ♬ original sound – eNCA
In the video, Mohammed describes feeling embarrassed and humiliated while being escorted home by a soldier carrying a firearm.
For him, however, the issue is also personal.
He says the trousers represented his work as a designer and his journey, making their loss more than simply losing an item of clothing.
‘I want my pants back,‘ he said in the video, explaining that he wants them returned so that he can feel whole again.
Why military camouflage is a sensitive issue
The dispute comes against a longstanding SANDF position that its official camouflage is reserved for authorised members.
The Department of Defence has previously stated that SANDF camouflage is a registered item intended for authorised SANDF members and certain formally recognised members. It has also warned members of the public, including clothing manufacturers, against using, selling or repurposing SANDF camouflage.
The Defence Act has provisions dealing with the unauthorised possession or wearing of prescribed military uniforms and distinctive marks.
Mohammed’s account, however, is that the material used for his trousers was privately owned, was not government or military property and did not contain SANDF badges or insignia.
Mohammed wants his trousers returned
For now, Mohammed says he wants the trousers back.
What began as an ordinary trip to a nearby shop with his family has, according to his account, left him feeling embarrassed and determined to recover a garment that he designed and made himself.
The incident has also renewed attention around the distinction between privately owned camouflage-patterned clothing and official SANDF uniform material.
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Picture: CGN CRIME / Facebook
