SA workers tell of Saudi blasts

2003-05-14 08:33

Erika Gibson

Johannesburg - At least one South African limped from the ruins of an apartment block after suicide bombers attacked three complexes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi authorities have linked a 19-member al-Qaeda team to carnage at three foreign compounds in the capital - multiple, simultaneous car bombings that killed at least 29 people, including eight Americans.

Nine attackers were among the dead. Another 194 people were wounded, most of them not seriously, according to Saudi officials.

The South African is thought to be Gerrit Olivier, who lived with his wife in the complex.

Thet were apparently on their way back to South Africa on Tuesday afternoon.

He told Arabic television: "Everything is destroyed - it happened so fast - what more can one say?"

His wife said she was woken by a loud explosion.

"My husband was lying on the floor next to me. All the windows had been smashed."

Security cameras filmed explosion

Another South African, who asked not to be identified, said he and his child were asleep when two explosions rocked their house about 23:20 on Monday night.

The complex where they are staying is about 2km from the Al Hamra complex - one of three that were attacked.

"Our complex recently had security cameras installed - that filmed the explosion next door. There was an enormous bang, followed by a fireball."

The explosion damaged the British school, attended by many South African children, to such an extent it had to be closed temporarily. Several teachers were injured.

"We were told (on Tuesday) to stay at home and not to go to work. Now we are waiting for news."

Gerhard Prinsloo, a South African who has been living in Saudi Arabia since 1994, said most South Africans were not panicking, despite the attacks.

"We knew that the American government warned its citizens here against terrorist attacks, but how do you know where the attacks will be to avoid them?"

Mohammed Dangor, South Africa's consul-general in Jeddah, said on Tuesday that more than 3 500 South Africans worked and lived in Saudi Arabia.

"Most of them work in the health sector. South Africa has not issued any warning to its citizens thus far, because there is no reason to suspect they are targets of terrorists.

"South Africans are generally very popular here because of the valuable services they perform. We are evaluating the security situation in general and will tighten up measures if need be."

- Beeld