Families of SA engineers imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea turn to Parliament
Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham have been in jail following sentencing on what their families say has been trumped up drug charges, in retaliation for the seizure of South African assets of that country’s vice president.
Picture: Pixabay.com
CAPE TOWN - The families of two South African engineers imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea have on Wednesday turned to Parliament to help facilitate their release.
Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham have been in jail following sentencing on what their families say has been trumped-up drug charges, in retaliation for the seizure of South African assets of that country’s vice president.
The chairperson of Parliament’s international relations committee, Supra Mahumapelo, says he understands their plight, and Minister Ronald Lamola will be invited to explain what’s being done to secure the men’s release.
Potgieter and Huxham, both in their 50s have been imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea for more than 500 days.
Working as expats for a Dutch oil company, they were arrested a day before they were due to return to South Africa on a work break in February 2023.
They had not met each other prior to that, having worked on different vessels.
On Wednesday, their spouses attended a Parliamentary meeting at which the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Emma Powell put forward their request for an audience.
“What these families need is regular consular access to their husbands, they need to understand what deliberate, direct and targeted actions DIRCO [Department of International Relations and Cooperation] is taking to demarche the Equatorial Guinean embassy or ambassador in South Africa.”
Former DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor had taken up the matter when she travelled to Equatorial Guinea in May.
Committee chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said her successor Lamola will now be asked to explain his course of action on this matter.
“I can imagine the pressure on the family, the children, the rest of the extended family members. You worry every day, every hour what can happen to them. You worry about their safety, you are not sure what they are eating.”
The families said they would table a petition currently signed by more than 11,000 South Africans appealing to government to secure the men’s release.