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SA families break the silence
23/08/2007 22:17 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Relatives of four South African security contractors kidnapped in Iraq in December broke their silence on Thursday to appeal for their release while the government said it had no news on their fate.
The four - Andre Durant, Callie Scheepers, Hardus Greef and Johann Eslin - were abducted in Baghdad by unidentified men last December along with five Iraqis who have since been freed after being pulled over at a bogus roadblock.
Until now, their families have stayed silent in order not increase any possible ransom demand but they have now decided on a change of tack given the long months of silence.
Andre Durant's brother Pierre, who is acting as a spokesperson for the group, said the kidnappers had not made any contact.
"We have tried the silent way, now we hope to get international coverage, getting the world involved, hoping our pleas will touch those who have my brother and his friends," he said.
He also described some of the trauma experienced by relatives in the last eight months.
"Someone told my mother that Andre was released," he told The Star newspaper. "She brought sparkling wine to celebrate but Andre never came home. Do you know how that feels? Being on an extreme high just to be dumped into a dark low.
"This thing has taken over our lives. Every time the phone rings, you jump, we pray."
The four were working for Safe Net Security, a firm sub-contracted by the US defence department, at the time of their abduction.
The South African foreign ministry said its ambassador to Amman in neighbouring Jordan was liasing with the authorities in Baghdad but had no news.
"There is no evidence that indicates that the four abducted South African citizens in Iraq are either alive or dead," read a statement.
- AFP
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