Comment: I'm not convinced that the STASI, or the GDR government, was really willing to supply weapons to the South Africans. You must not forget that the STASI had strong relations with the Cuban intelligence service. Manuel Noriega on the other hand was also involved with the Cubans at that time (that was one of the reasons for his rift with the US-Americans, since he was also on the CIA payroll, but played a double-game). Also, the STASI and the Soviets knew that those weapons would have been employed against a) the Soviet military advisers, b) the Cuban brigades and c) the MPLA allies in Angola. My guess is that STASI contacted the Cubans and the Cubans conspired with Noriega to seize the freight. I wouldn't be surprised if Noriega then sold the cargo to the CIA. Everyone benefited from the deal, only the Boers got fucked.