Equatorial Guinea’s deputy foreign minister briefed the South African government on Thursday on developments in his country, where South Africans have been accused of being involved in preparations for a coup d’état.
South African foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said the aim of Jose Esono Micha’s visit was to update Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on events unfolding in his country.
But sources said it could not be discounted that ”a message of gratitude” had also been sent from the president of Equatorial Guinea for South Africa’s role in foiling a coup attempt.
Presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo confirmed South African law enforcement agencies had been responsible for alerting the Equatorial government to the arrival of armed forces in its country.
”They are in regular contact as they are with other countries to prevent the unconstitutional overthrow of governments in Africa,” he said.
Fifteen men — including South Africans — were arrested in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, over the weekend. Equatorial Guinea’s government claim they were an advance party to a group now detained in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean authorities impounded a Boeing 747 aircraft with 64 alleged mercenaries on board on Sunday following the tip-off from the South African law enforcement agencies.
The leader of the advanced party in New Guinea, South African Nick du Toit, is believed to have belonged to the defunct Executive Outcomes company that specialised in mercenary activity.
During a public confession in Malabo, Du Toit reportedly explained how the advanced party planned to abduct President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and force him into exile.
”It wasn’t a question of taking the life of the head of state but of spiriting him away, taking him to Spain and forcing him into exile and then installing the government in exile of Secero Moto Nsa,” Du Toit said.
Western intelligence services had allegedly promised Cabinet posts in a new government to Equatorial Guinea’s police chief and commander of the army, in exchange for their cooperation in the coup.
Zimbabwe’s Home Affairs Minister, Kembo Mohadi, told a news conference that Simon Mann, one of three men detained after going to meet the presumed mercenaries at Harare International airport, had fingered London, Washington and Madrid as their backers.
Sources claimed the South African government had been aware for some time about the coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.
”We are not a Mickey Mouse government, we know what is going on,” they said.
Mamoepa said on Thursday the government would be closely monitoring the various trials in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea but again emphasised it would not intervene in the judicial process.
”We will be watching to see if indeed the trials are fair as we do for all our citizens who are facing court hearings across the world,” Mamoepa said.
But he said in no way would the South African government pre-empt a decision of a foreign court. — Sapa