South African UN worker held in Sudan
Within 24hours of a South African being killed in Somalia another was captured in Sudan.
Saturday’s capture of Thabo Siave came after Lodewyk Pietersen, 55, was shot dead on Friday in Puntland, Somalia, allegedly by his bodyguard.
Pietersen, employed by South African security firm Saracens International, was said to be on an anti-piracy operation.
He worked in Somalia for 18 months training locals in anti-piracy operations.
Pietersen’s son, Ben, described his father, a former defence force paratrooper, as a devout Christian “who lived his life without any regrets”.
“We spoke to him every day. We last saw him six weeks ago when he was on holiday in South Africa. We will miss him,” said Pietersen.
Saracens International declined to comment.
Siave, who works for Mechem, a subsidiary of state-owned arms company Denel, was part of a UN team removing land mines in South Sudan.
He was captured on Saturday by Sudan soldiers who also took a Briton, a Norwegian and a Southern Sudanese. All four were part of the UN mission in South Sudan.
Mechem chief executive Ashley Williams confirmed the capture and said Siave was alive and well in Sudan‘s capital, Khartoum.
He denied early reports
Read more: http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2012/04/30/south-african-un-worker-held-in-sudan
Category: South Sudan News
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