/ 12 July 2005

Seven South Africans in London phone home

Seven of 15 South Africans believed to be missing in London following last week’s bomb blasts have been found, the Dutch Reformed Church said on Monday. The names of the fifteen were read out during a church service in London on Sunday and the figure has been reduced from 50.

Dominee Dawie van Vuuren said the seven — Henk Goosen, Christene Govinder, Tania Anderson, Mark Anderson, Andre Apollos, Marina Chikh and Jhanet Thyssen — sent messages to friends and family to say they were safe.

Terrorist bombs targeting London’s public transport system last week left 52 people dead and hundreds injured.

The South Africans who are still missing are Jacobus Nel Visagie, Triston McNean, William Masieko, Petro Charsley, Hayley Fielding, Colin Chumalu, Ronel de Beer and Stephan Fouche.

Van Vuuren said the church had been inundated with phone calls and e-mails from concerned relatives. Among them were calls from a South African father in Tanzania who was looking for his child. – Sapa