Documents from a whistleblower reveal that South Africa's Integrated Convoy Protection built Kasser II armoured vehicles in the UAE, marketed as locally made. The vehicles, based on the Reva V design, were assembled using South African parts and staff under a 2020 contract worth US$45 million. A court recently dismissed a gag order, allowing publication amid disputes over export permits.
In 2020, Integrated Convoy Protection (ICP), a South African armoured vehicle manufacturer based southeast of Pretoria, signed a US$45-million (R775-million) contract with the UAE's International Golden Group (IGG). The deal, titled 'For Supply of Modified Reva V 4x4 Vehicle Armored Personal Carriers to be assembled in the United Arab Emirates under new name (Kasser II)', required ICP to deliver 100 advanced semi-knockdown kits, spare parts, and expertise for assembly at Tawazun Industrial Park in Abu Dhabi.
The Kasser II, a mine-resistant ambush-protected 4x4 vehicle nearly seven metres long, resembles ICP's Reva V armoured personnel carrier with minor modifications. Unveiled at the 2021 IDEX arms fair, it has been promoted as an Emirati product by M4 Industries, a company set up by IGG for the project. ICP staff, up to 20 engineers and managers, were deployed to the UAE to assemble the vehicles, sourcing additional parts from South Africa and Israel. Whistleblower 'Casper' provided emails, documents, and accounts showing ICP's full involvement, including managing production processes.
ICP, founded in 2002 by former special forces officer Philippus Johannes Marx, has supplied vehicles to clients like the US in Iraq and Thailand's military. Current CEO Nadine Rynners oversees operations. The company denies exporting controlled items without permits, claiming only off-the-shelf parts were sent. However, South Africa's National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) requires approvals for components designed for military use. The NCACC confirmed the matter is under police investigation.
In 2025, 160 Kasser II vehicles were delivered to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 12 displayed in Togo's independence parade. This occurs amid UAE support for conflicts in Sudan and elsewhere. On November 27, 2025, Western Cape High Court Judge Nathan Erasmus dismissed ICP's gag order against Open Secrets, which sought to block the story. Open Secrets director Hennie van Vuuren called it a victory for investigative journalism, highlighting patterns of South African defence expertise aiding foreign arms industries implicated in human rights abuses.
Ariella Scher, Open Secrets' head of legal, stated: 'Our job is to publish in the public interest.' ICP's court papers referenced ongoing contracts with IGG, its largest customer.