The demonstrators, brought together by a broad-based Anti-War Coalition (AWC) of about 50 political, religious and trade union movements, marched through the city centre to the parliament buildings.

They handed to a foreign ministry representative a memorandum calling on the government to put an end to military trade with the countries prosecuting the war on Iraq, as well as backers of the war such as Australia and Israel.

"To continue to sell weapons to the US and UK in the light of the illegal invasion of Iraq means that the SA government has chosen to side with the invading armies," the statement said, according to the SAPA news agency.

The AWC stated that the South African state-owned arms manufacturer Denel has contracts with US and British clients concerning weaponry used in Iraq: casing for ammunition, laser sights, weapons propellant systems and parts for combat aircraft.

"We condemn this blood-for-money type bribery," the AWC said, challenging President Thabo Mbeki, the ruling African National Congress and the government to do likewise.

South Africa's support, or at least silence, had been bought in exchange for backing from Britain and the United States for Africa's continental development plan NEPAD, the AWC claimed.

The demonstration peacefully broke up at the beginning of the afternoon.

Police were out in force to keep an eye on the proceedings.

SPACE.WIRE