South Africa
Practice Relating to Rule 52. Pillage
South Africa’s LOAC Manual (1996) provides that pillage and stealing of civilian property are forbidden.
It also states that pillage is a grave breach of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and a war crime.
South Africa’s Revised Civic Education Manual (2004) states: “Pillage [and] stealing … civilian property are … forbidden.”
The manual also provides that pillage is a grave breach of the law of armed conflict and a war crime.
South Africa’s LOAC Teaching Manual (2008) states:
Prohibited Acts against Persons not taking an Active Part in Armed Conflicts
…
- Specific Rules
…
- Pillage is prohibited.
The manual also states:
2.4 Specifically Protected Persons and Objects:
a. Civilians
…
The protection of civilians can be briefly summarised as follows:
…
- Civilian property must also be respected. It is NOT:
- War booty;
- To be taken for own gain; or
- To be willfully destroyed or treated with wanton disregard for its protection.
…
[1949] Geneva Convention IV articles 28 to 34 grant further protection to civilians. These articles determine the following:
…
- A protected person may not be punished for an offence that that person has not committed. Collective penalties, intimidation or terrorism, pillage and reprisals are prohibited.
…
Protection of protected persons entails the following:
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- Collective penalties, intimidation or terrorism, pillage and reprisals are prohibited against protected persons.

[emphasis in original]
South Africa’s ICC Act (2002) reproduces the war crimes listed in the 1998 ICC Statute, including “pillaging a town or place, even when taken by assault” in both international and non-international armed conflicts.