Two South Africans released from prison in Zimbabwe on humanitarian grounds due to ill health, arrived quietly at Johannesburg International airport on Saturday morning.
Pius Kanjowa and Lenatu Eselumu were convicted in a trial relating to an alleged plot to overthrow the leader of Equatorial Guinea earlier this year.
Foreign Affairs department spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said the men were released to South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jerry Ndou.
Mamoepa confirmed on Saturday morning that the two men left Harare at 7.15am on board a South African Airways flight. According to airport officials the flight landed at 9.03am.
This brings to three the number of South Africans released from prison in Zimbabwe this week.
On Thursday Reon Schutte, who had served 12 years of a 26-year sentence for car theft, espionage and illegal possession of firearms, was released because he had prostate cancer.
Mamoepa attributed the release to strong diplomatic relations and ”quiet diplomacy” between the two countries. – Sapa