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'Baghdad 4' search to continue
26/01/2008 20:09 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The search for the four missing South African sub-contractors who were abducted in Baghdad in 2006 would not stop, Safenet said.
Safenet's South African attorney, Avril Pagel, said the security firm would continue to work with South African, Iraqi and other international authorities to trace the Baghdad Four.
"During the past 12 months Safenet has engaged in a ceaseless search effort to find the four men," Pagel said.
"In the event that the Baghdad Four are indeed successfully traced, Safenet will use its best endeavours to secure their recovery."
The four are Andre Durant, Callie Scheepers, Hardus Greeff and Johann Enslin who were abducted on December 10 2006 at what seemed to be a routine roadblock outside Baghdad.
Baghdad has between 30 and 250 murders or abductions daily and the city is recognised as one of the most dangerous in the world, said the company.
The four were independent contractors who in 2006 entered into short-term contracts (up to a maximum of three months) to provide security services to Safenet in Iraq.
"Safenet takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that the occupational risks faced by sub-contractors are mitigated to the fullest extent possible," Pagel said.
"It is a high risk, high reward environment."
Financial support
Safenet had provided voluntary financial support to the families in excess of R3m - approximately R300 000 per month - for the last twelve months and had made counselling and other resources available to the families, said Pagel.
"Safenet is not, however, able to continue such ex-gratia payments indefinitely and has recently advised the families to consider lodging life insurance claims as the next logical step."
According to Safenet the families were not doing so and expected Safenet to continue paying the monthly contract fees indefinitely, or until there was certainty regarding the missing sub-contractors.
"The company has acted in good faith over and above any moral duty and believes that it has no further legal or other obligation to the families," said Pagel.
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