South Africa’s director-general of Foreign Affairs has convened a meeting with Equatorial Guinea ambassador Juan Ncuchuma to try to secure the return of two nationals being held in that country.
”The director-general Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba yesterday [Tuesday] took the extraordinary step of inviting the ambassador of Equatorial Guinea… to a meeting at the Union Buildings to discuss the current delay of departure of two South Africans,” Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said on Wednesday.
An ”urgent message” from the South African government was conveyed through the ambassador to the authorities of Equatorial Guinea.
”It is our hope and wish that this will lead to an early resolution of the current situation with a view to ensuring an early return of the two South Africans back home,” Mamoepa said.
South Africa was awaiting a response.
Crewmen Sechan Pillay and Ruwayda Kalbine have been held in Equatorial Guinea for five weeks due to problems between two companies involved in a string of aviation sub-contracts.
They have been staying at the house of a South African embassy staffer in the capital Malabo for the past two weeks.
Family members on Tuesday urged the South African government to become more involved in trying to secure the men’s freedom.
Pillay and Kalbine were refused permission to leave Equatorial Guinea and their passports were confiscated last month.
The Equatorial Guinea airline Getra — believed to be partly owned by Finance Minister Mereelino Owono Edu — has demanded payments from the Johannesburg-based Venatto Trading.
Pillay and Kalbine’s employer, Global Aviation Leasing, entered into a contract with Venatto Trading — signed through an agreement with Air Quarius — to fly one of its aircraft.
Venatto was then contracted to fly goods for Getra between the island capital Malabo, Bata on the mainland, and Douala in neighbouring Cameroon. – Sapa