SA to support Hanekom
International relations minister Lindiwe Sisulu said the South African government was in contact with maritime businessman André Hanekom who has been arrested on terrorism charges in Mozambique.
“Our ambassador in Mozambique has managed to locate Mr Hanekom and has communicated with the family and the place where he’s being held and he’s made himself available to interact with Mr Hanekom so we can give him all the necessary support,” Sisulu said at a media briefing on Sunday.
Hanekom‚ 61‚ who owns a slipway and maritime logistics company in the country’s gasrich northern region of Cabo Delgado‚ was arrested in August 2018 after gunmen tried to drive him off the road. The men‚ one of whom shot him in the arm and stomach‚ turned out to be police officers.
The Sunday Times reported last week that Hanekom was briefly hospitalised and officers initially claimed they were holding him for his own safety after rescuing him from kidnappers linked to the extremist group Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama‚ which allegedly wants Cabo Delgado as a separatist state.
“However‚ in October he appeared in court‚ with authorities claiming Hanekom was linked to the organisation. They said they had confiscated weapons and logistical supplies from his home destined for the organisation‚” the newspaper wrote.