Families of SA engineers jailed in Equatorial Guinea turn to Parliament

The chairperson of Parliament’s International Relations Committee, Supra Mahumapelo, said he understands the plight of the families of two South African engineers who have been imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea for more than 500 days.

Frederik Potgieter, a South African citizen, and Peter Huxham, a dual South African and United Kingdom citizen, have been in jail following what their families describe as trumped-up drug charges.

The duo were arrested in February last year in retaliation after South African courts ordered the seizure of a yacht and two luxury villas in Cape Town belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.

Difficulty

The families of 54-year-old Potgieter and 55-year-old Huxham turned to parliament on Wednesday to help facilitate their release.

Mahumapelo said the committee understands the challenges faced by the families.

“We should work together to overcome the difficulty that some of your family members are facing.”

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The Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Emma Powell mentioned there has been a “positive agreement” from the office of Minister Ronald Lamola to appear before the committee and account for what his department is doing to secure the release of Potgieter and Huxham.

Dirco action

Powell also presented a petition signed by more than 11,000 South Africans calling for the men’s release.

“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.

“Whether or not we would consider any sanctions or any consequence or punitive measures in so far as the continued hostage situation goes,” Powell said.

Feeling safe in Africa

Mahumapelo said they will write to Lamola to ensure the matter receives urgent attention.

“As South Africa, we are part of Africa and we do business on the African continent and rest of the world and we should be made to feel  safe wherever we are on the African continent.

“I did say to honourable Powell that at some point it may be necessary for you as a family to be assisted, to either write to the president or ask for an audience with the president,” Mahumapelo said.  

Former Dirco minister Naledi Pandor took up the matter when she traveled to Equatorial Guinea in May.

Earlier this year, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared the detention of Potgieter and Huxham arbitrary and illegal.

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