South African mechanic freed after weeks in captivity in Mozambique

Limpopo – A 30-year-old South African mechanic who went missing during an armed attack on a hunting camp in northern Mozambique has been released unharmed after almost a month in captivity.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed on Wednesday that the man, from Phalaborwa, Limpopo, was released on Sunday, 4 October, after disappearing during the first week of September. He left Mozambique on Wednesday, 7 October.

The man was working as a mechanic at a camp in the Marrupa district of Niassa Province when militants attacked the facility.

DIRCO spokesperson Nelson Kgwete said the South African High Commission in Maputo had worked with several stakeholders to secure the man’s release.

“The South African High Commission in Maputo worked diligently with various stakeholders in Mozambique to render consular assistance and secure the release of the 30-year-old man,” DIRCO said.

The department also thanked the Mozambican government for its assistance.

“The South African government extends its gratitude to the Government of Mozambique for its efforts towards the safe release of the South African national,” it said.

Insurgency

The incident began when armed militants raided a hunting camp and surrounding communities in northern Mozambique.

SABC News reported that five South Africans were working at the camp at the time of the attack, with the other four managing to escape.

Earlier reports by TimesLIVE said the camp was raided and burned by rebels believed to be linked to an Islamic State affiliate operating in the region. The attack also reportedly affected the nearby town of Marangira, with civilians among those feared abducted.

Kgwete previously cautioned against drawing conclusions about the attackers or their motives, saying the incident also resulted in neighbouring communities being displaced.

The attack occurred in an area affected by the wider insurgency in northern Mozambique. Niassa Province borders Cabo Delgado, where an Islamist insurgency has persisted since 2017, causing thousands of deaths and displacing more than one million people.

The man’s release brings an end to weeks of uncertainty for his family, although DIRCO has not disclosed details about his captivity, how he was released or whether any arrests have been made.