WATCH: Shiraaz Mohamed begs negotiator to do better so he can live

A video first shared on Monday shows South African photojournalist Shiraaz Mohamed pleading with his negotiator to change the way he was speaking to his captors, fearing that otherwise he would be executed.

A video is being distributed on Whatsapp, showing a man who appears to be Mohamed, emaciated and in an orange prison garment, pleading for his life. It was first shared by Voice of the Cape Radio on Monday.

“My government, my friends, anyone watching this video that can help me, please help me. My life is still in danger,” he says.

He then addresses his negotiator.

“These people are very angry with the way you are speaking to them, with the way you are doing the negotiations. My living conditions up until the last time you spoke to them was okay. My life has become very difficult,” he said.

“Please, I beg you Dr Fekri Shabaan change the way you are speaking with them, change the way you are negotiating with them, listen to them and give them what they want… I feel they will put a bullet in my head. I am not eating properly. I have lost a lot of weight.”

WATCH: Shiraaz Mohamed pleads for help in proof of life video

Mohamed does look substantially thinner than in his last video, posted in April.

In a proof of life video released by his captors, Mohamed could clearly be seen holding up a sign with the date the footage was presumably shot. He pleads for help and says that Russian air force bombing efforts are getting closer to where Mohamed is being held.

The video was shared by Gift of the Givers’ Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, who said at the time they had finally received conclusive proof that journalist Shiraaz Mohamed was still alive in Syria, where he was abducted more than two years ago.

Sooliman told News24 on Monday that the organisation was no longer involved in the case due to a decision made by Mohamed’s family, ceasing involvement on June 28.

The disaster relief foundation indicated in April that the ransom demanded for Mohamed, of R21.5 million, could not be paid by them, as they did not have that kind of money at their disposal.

Mohamed was abducted in Syria in January 2017 outside a Syrian hospital while on an assignment and accused of being a foreign spy. He was accompanying the Gift of the Givers to document the work they were doing in assisting refugees in the country.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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