Pilot sends 'help' SMS from Zim

2008-03-26 10:06

Erika Gibson

Johannesburg - A South African pilot was still being held at Harare's central police station late on Tuesday after being arrested by the Zimbabwean intelligence service at the airport on Tuesday morning.

Brenton Smyth, 31, would have flown MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, one of the presidential candidates in the Zimbabwean election, to several pre-election meetings.

According to Wessel van den Bergh, executive manager of ATS Helicopters and Smyth's employer at Grand Central Airport in Midrand, Smyth arrived in Zimbabwe at the weekend.

He would have flown Tsvangirai from Bulawayo earlier, but the Zimbabwean authorities delayed clearing of the necessary documents.

Surrounded by cops

According to George Sibotshiwe, Tsvangirai's personal assistant, they were on their way to the airport when Smyth called him saying he was surrounded by about 15 members of the intelligence service.

Smyth was preparing the helicopter for the flight.

Tsvangirai would have held six meetings in country in Masvingo and Manicaland in the southern parts of the country.

"Smyth personally filed all the necessary documents with the Zimbabwean aviation authority. We already had permission to fly," said Sibotshiwe.

"When we arrived and wanted to board, they told us we didn't have permission. We had to leave the helicopter until Smyth had filed flight plans with the civil aviation authority."

Not arrested, just held

Smyth was locked up along with an MDC MP and three other MDC members. The helicopter keys were confiscated.

"It was done with a lot of power play and Brenton was very upset about the manner in which they were arrested," said Van den Bergh.

Smyth sent him an SMS: "I am in serious trouble - please help!"

Smyth, who has British and South African citizenship, entered the country with his South African passport. His arrest was also reported to the British High Commission and the British consul visited him on Tuesday afternoon. According to Van den Berg Smyth was not arrested, but only being held and by late on Tuesday no charges had been laid against him. The police were in possession of a warrant to authorise holding him.

Aviation specialists said according to international aviation regulations no pilot was allowed to be arrested unless he was guilty of a serious crime such as smuggling.

The worst that could happen was that the aircraft be confiscated if it was alleged that Smyth's documents were not in order.

The department of foreign affairs said it was aware of the situation. The South African High Commission in Harare was in contact with the Zimbabwean authorities in an effort to find out why Smyth was being held.

Chris Maroleng, Zimbabwean specialist at the Institute for Security Studies said the incident was clearly part of the Zimbabwean government's plans to handicap the opposition.

"This is an indication to which extremes the government will go to in order to suppress political competition."

Wayne Bvudjizena, a police spokesperson, didn't want to comment.

- Beeld