Gerco van Deventer on 6-year Libya hostage ordeal: ‘They hit me, pointed AKs at my head’
Van Deventer, who was seized in November 2017 and released in December 2023, is the longest-held South African hostage.
Gerco van Deventer (L) and his wife, Shereen, reunited on 25 December 2023 after his six-year-long hostage ordeal. Picture: Shereen van Deventer/Facebook
CAPE TOWN - Gerco van Deventer has spoken out about his six-year hostage ordeal in Libya.
The 48-year-old paramedic was seized in November 2017 and sold to militants in Mali a year later.
After six years and one month, Van Deventer was released in December. This makes him the longest-held South African hostage.
Van Deventer said coming to terms with being a free man was overwhelming at first.
“Having my freedom given back to me was overwhelming, but it’s getting there, it’s settling in, and [there has been] great support from everybody in South Africa.”
Van Deventer relayed what happened on the day of his kidnapping.
“They picked me up at the airport and we were just driving to the construction site and the next moment all hell broke loose. I heard bullets in the car. Next moment, the car stood stationary and within seconds there were people at the door trying to pull me out of the car. When they hit me and two guys pointed their AKs at my head, I knew, okay, you can resist as much as you want, but they’re going to take you.”