Families of detained SA engineers welcome Minister Lamola’s visit to Equatorial Guinea,
urge resolution
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Statement from the families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham
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Johannesburg, 21 January 2025 – The families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham express their appreciation for Minister Ronald Lamola’s recent visit to Equatorial Guinea, where he met with his counterpart, Mr. Simeón Oyono Esono Angue, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
International Cooperation, and Francophone Affairs. Minister Lamola, serving as a special envoy for President Cyril Ramaphosa, said in a statement following the visit that he raised the need to resolve the challenge of the ongoing detention of Frik and Peter, who have been held in Equatorial Guinea since 9 February, 2023.
Shaun Murphy and Francois Nigrini, spokespersons for the Potgieter and Huxham families, expressed renewed hope following this diplomatic engagement: “This visit brings a glimmer of hope to our families, who have endured the prolonged and unjust detention of Frik and Peter for far too long. These two engineers have dedicated years to Equatorial Guinea’s oil and gas sector, and to mentoring young Equatorial Guinean workers.
“We earnestly urge our government to persist in these diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Frik and Peter. Their ongoing detention has inflicted profound distress on them and their families, who suffer daily from the absence of their loved ones. This ordeal has robbed them of nearly two years, time that they can never recover.”
The families emphasised the importance of continued diplomatic efforts. “We firmly believe that through sustained engagement and action, a resolution can be achieved that honours justice and human rights.”
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In order to raise the profile of this matter, and seek support, the families of Frik and Peter launched an online petition, website and social media profiles on Facebook, X and LinkedIn in June this year.
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Media contacts:
Sandra Sowray: sandra@prologconsulting.co.za / 079 167 6863
Dani Cohen: dani@prologconsulting.co.za / 082 897 0443
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