Families of 2 South Africans detained in Equatorial Guinea welcome SA govt's efforts to have them released
Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, both in their mid-fifties, have been sitting in prison for almost two years now on what their families believe to be fabricated drug charges.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola (left), meets with Mr Simeón Oyono Esono Angue, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Francophone Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, in Malabo on 17 January 2025. Picture: @DIRCO_ZA/X
CAPE TOWN - The families of South Africans detained in Equatorial Guinea have welcomed efforts by the South African government to have their loved ones released.
Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, both in their mid-fifties, have been sitting in prison for almost two years now on what their families believe to be fabricated drug charges.
The two engineers were working for a global oil and gas company when they were arrested on 9 February 2023.
The families believe the charges are in retaliation against legal action being taken in South Africa against the vice president of Equatorial Guinea.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola visited the country this week and said that both governments were working to solve this matter speedily.
"We continue to engage, to look forward to finding long-lasting solutions, including the challenges that the nation of Equatorial Guinea faced in our country."
Spokesperson for both families, Shaun Murphy, has urged government to persist in these diplomatic efforts to secure Potgieter and Huxham's release.
"We are very encouraged, and we are thankful. The fact that he mentioned both Peter and Frik, who have been detained in Equatorial Guinea, tells us that they were certainly on the agenda and were certainly part of the discussion which they had."