Families of two South Africans jailed in Equatorial Guinea launch ‘Free Frik and Peter’ campaign

The families of Frik Potgieter (54) and Peter Huxham (55), two South African engineers who say they have been unlawfully held as state hostages in Equatorial Guinea since 9 February 2023, have launched an online petition, website and social media campaign to share their story and demand their urgent release.  

“Frik and Peter are caught in the political crossfire between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea,” said Shaun Murphy, a spokesperson for the Potgieter family. They were working in that country on Africa’s west coast for their employer, a global oil and gas company, when they were arrested on what they insist were fabricated drug charges. 

That was just two days after a South African court seized a luxury superyacht belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (known as Teddy). Earlier, the courts had seized Obiang’s two luxury Cape Town villas.  

These assets were seized to execute a court ruling in South Africa on a separate matter, unrelated to the two engineers. Even though the superyacht has been released, the villas remain impounded in South Africa, and Potgieter and Huxham remain in prison in Equatorial Guinea. 

Murphy said, “There is no doubt that they are innocent, and no doubt that their arrests are aimed at forcing South Africa to release the vice-president’s properties. This is clear from his outrage against South Africa on Twitter/X when Frik and Peter were arrested.   

“The campaign is intended to call on all parties to assist in securing Frik and Peter’s freedom, but most especially the assistance of the South African government, and also the UK government, as Peter is a dual citizen of that country. 

“We were hopeful when Naledi Pandor, minister of international relations and cooperation, visited Equatorial Guinea on 5 May 2024 to plead for the men’s release, but since then there has been no movement. 

“No family should have to go through this nightmare of having their loved ones held hostage in a foreign prison or being used as political pawns. That’s why we’re uniting together through this campaign to show South Africa and our own government that our voices for bringing our family members home will never fall silent.” 

Potgieter and Huxham’s families are anxiously awaiting any news that will help bring them home safely.   

“The reality is that given that this is a political dispute between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea, only a political solution will secure their release. They must be brought home and, in order to do that, the families need the South African and UK governments to do all they can to get them released,” said Francois Nigrini, a spokesperson for the Huxham family.  

“Frik and Peter need your help. Their story needs to be heard. Please sign this petition to demand their immediate release.”

At the centre of the campaign is their website, which serves as a hub for information on their case and also links to the online petition calling for decisive action from the South African government. The campaign will also maintain an active presence on X/Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. DM