SA group heading for 'coup'

2004-03-10 08:39

Erika Gibson

Pretoria - Fifteen South Africans who were arrested in Equatorial Guinea last weekend, were in the country with the "main aim" to kill the country's head of state in an assassination attempt.

Following President President Obiang Nguema's murder, a second group of mercenaries from South Africa would have undertaken a coup détat. This is the second group now being held in Zimbabwe after their aircraft was impounded on Sunday evening.

The Zimbabwean arms manufacturer, Zimbabwe Defence Industries was apparently the supplier of the weapons, which would have been used during the coup.

If the first group in Equatorial Guinea is charged and found guilty of treason, they may be sentenced to death.

The second group was arrested in Harare after the government apparently received a tip-off from South Africa.

20 South Africans

In addition to 20 South African citizens, there were 18 Namibians, 23 Angolans, three Congolese and one Zimbabwean on the aircraft.

The South African government has emphasised that if the allegations are true, the men would have contravened the Overseas Military Assistance Act.

The news agency New Zimbabwe reported that the aircraft landed in Harare on Sunday evening to load a variety of weapons, apparently bought after talks between Zimbabwe Defence Industries and a third party, apparently a Briton, whose name is known to Beeld.

ZDI's head, Colonel Tshinga Dube, was apparently furious because "over eager" intelligence officials impounded the aircraft and the transaction fell through.

Propaganda opportunity

When officials informed President Robert Mugabe, he reportedly took it for granted that the aircraft was American-owned and decided the possibility of a coup attempt was the ideal propaganda opportunity.

Augustin Nse Nfumu, Equatorial Guinea's information minister, said in an interview with the BBC that 15 South Africans had been arrested in the capital, Malabo.

Arresting foreigners

The Equatorial Guinea government has been arresting foreigners left, right and centre since last week, when rumours of a planned coup started. Nfumu says the South Africans were arrested quite by chance, after arriving in his country in January.

Nfumu says a man called Nic (whose surname is known to Beeld), is the leader of the group.

He worked with a Craig (who has both British and American passports) and a Libyan, Ellie Khalil.

Three employees of the South African construction company, Murray & Roberts, who have just completed a project in Equatorial Guinea, were also arrested on Sunday because of the distrust against South Africans.

Brian Bruce, executive group chief, says the three have been working on the infrastructure of the oil and gas industry in the country.

They were on their way back to South Africa after completing the project when their passports were confiscated at the airport.

"They are safe and we are talking to foreign affairs to solve the case."

- Beeld