Pretoria – South African engineers Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, who have been held in Equatorial Guinea since February 2023, have been freed from prison.
The SA government welcomed the release from detention of the engineers in a statement issued late on Saturday, 21 June 2025, stating that the move “follows the granting of clemency by the President of Equatorial Guinea.”
The two South Africans were arrested for drug trafficking on 9 February 2023 and subsequently sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
The statement added: “South Africa expresses its sincere gratitude to the government of Equatorial Guinea for considering and ultimately granting this Presidential pardon, allowing Mr Huxham and Mr Potgieter to return home to their loved ones.
“Since their arrest, the South African government has remained actively engaged through diplomatic channels, including sending Special Envoys, to secure their release on humanitarian grounds.
“Throughout these sustained engagements, the government consistently appealed for clemency, highlighting the humanitarian aspects of the case and the profound impact on the families of the detained.”
The families of Frik and Peter believed that the engineers were caught in the political crossfire between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea.
They were working in Equatorial Guinea for their employer, a global oil and gas company, when they were arrested on fabricated drug charges just two days after South Africa seized the luxury super yacht belonging to Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (known as Teddy).
South Africa had also seized two of Teddy’s luxury villas in Cape Town.
These assets were seized following a court ruling in South Africa on a separate matter, unrelated to Frik and Peter.
“The coordinated collaboration between the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the families of the two men, and their employer, SBM Offshore, also played a significant role in facilitating their release,” the late-night statement said.
“The government of South Africa acknowledges the complexity of the matter, including its sensitive diplomatic and legal dimensions.”
The statement further said SA appreciated the government of Equatorial Guinea’s continued provision of consular access and the spirit of constructive diplomatic dialogue that has been maintained throughout this period.
The statement concluded by saying SA remains committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Equatorial Guinea and “reaffirms its dedication to constructive engagement, mutual respect, and the resolution of challenges through diplomatic channels”.
