SA citizens unlawfully detained in Equatorial Guinea for 621 days

Johannesburg, Press Release: Families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, October 23, 2024

The families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, the two South African engineers who have been illegally imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea since 9 February 2023, are deeply grateful to the South African Parliament which yesterday adopted a unanimous motion calling for their immediate release.

The two South Africans were arrested in that country two days after South African courts seized the luxury super yacht belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President, Teodore Nguema Obiang Mangue, the President’s son.  Earlier, the SA courts had also seized the Vice President’s two luxury Cape Town villas (Clifton and Bishopscourt).  These assets were impounded following a court ruling in SA on a separate matter, completely unrelated to Peter and Frik.  

Shaun Murphy, spokesman for the Potgieter family said: “The South African Parliament has effectively endorsed the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s formal opinion, issued in July this year, which concluded that Peter and Frik’s arrests and ongoing detention are arbitrary and illegal, and called for their immediate release.  The imprisonment of these two innocent men by the Government of Equatorial Guinea is a direct violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to liberty and security of person, as enshrined in international law.”

Francois Nigrini, spokesman for the Huxham family said: “The outpouring of support for Frik and Peter’s release has been nothing short of extraordinary, from both the South African public and the international community. Nearly 15,000 signatories from around the globe have added their voices to the FreeFrikandPeter.co.za petition, calling for immediate justice. This groundswell of support should be a clear signal to our Government to do whatever it takes to secure their immediate release and prioritise their case. Frik and Peter were innocent victims of being the wrong nationality, at the wrong place, at the wrong time. This kind of hostage diplomacy is a gross injustice and must be condemned in the strongest terms.”

The motion without notice was tabled by Emma Powell of the Democratic Alliance in Parliament and was adopted unanimously as follows:

That the House –

1- condemns the ongoing unlawful imprisonment of two innocent South African citizens, Mr Frik Potgieter and Mr Peter Huxham, in Equatorial Guinea since 9 February 2023;
2- notes the Formal Opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued on 1 July 2024 which concluded that Mr Potgieter and Mr Huxham’s arrest and ongoing detention in Equatorial Guinea is arbitrary, illegal and a gross violation of human rights, and that they should be released immediately;

3- reaffirms South Africa’s commitment to international law and human rights and supports efforts to ensure accountability for actions that violate these principles;

4- stands in support of the families of Mr Potgieter and Mr Huxham, who are suffering because of their loved ones’ illegal detention; and

5- calls on the South African authorities to facilitate for the immediate release of Mr Potgieter and Mr Huxham.

Media contacts

For more information, photographs, voice notes, interviews and access to the families, please contact:

Sandra Sowray – 079 167 6863 /sandra@prologconsulting.co.za

Dani Cohen – 082 897 0443 / dani@prologconsulting.co.za