The recent sentencing of two South African nationals, Mr. Peter Shane Huxham and Mr. Frederic Johannes Potgieter, in Equatorial Guinea has raised concerns for Mr. Zane Dangor, Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Expressing support for the detainees’ families and friends, Mr. Dangor was troubled by the verdict.
The incident unfolded on Thursday, February 9, 2023, when Huxham and Potgieter were apprehended at their hotel in Malabo. They were preparing to board a flight to South Africa on February 10, 2023, after completing their work on an oil rig off the coast of Equatorial Guinea. Their intention was to spend some restful time with their families back home.
After a lengthy delay, the detainees finally appeared in court on Monday, June 26, 2023, to face the charges formally. Subsequently, on Friday, June 30, 2023, they stood before a panel of five judges for sentencing. The bench found them guilty of “Trafficking and illicit possession of drugs (cocaine).”
Mr. Dangor expressed disappointment that the South African Embassy has been denied access to the detainees, which violates international law. Equatorial Guinea’s government has failed to fulfill its obligation to notify DIRCO formally and allow consular access to the two South African nationals, as prescribed by Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963. Despite numerous official requests, the access has been denied.
Highlighting the responsibility of Equatorial Guinea’s government for the welfare and safety of the detained South African citizens, Mr. Dangor expressed his willingness to engage in direct and constructive cooperation with the relevant authorities in resolving the matter.
While DIRCO aims to advance bilateral relations with Equatorial Guinea, the ongoing denial of access to the distressed South African nationals jeopardizes the longstanding positive relationship between the two countries.
