Two South African engineers, Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, who were detained in Equatorial Guinea for over two years on disputed drug trafficking charges, have returned home following a presidential pardon. The men were arrested on the night of 9 February 2023 at their hotel in Malabo, just before their scheduled departure after a five-week work assignment with Dutch oil and gas company SBM Offshore. They were separately summoned to the hotel reception and taken into custody on what their families and international observers have described as fabricated charges.
Subsequently, they were sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $5 million each, with an additional $2.5 million fine to be shared, penalties widely condemned as unjust and politically motivated. Their arrest came shortly after South African courts seized luxury assets—including a superyacht and two villas in Cape Town—belonging to Teodoro Nguema Obiang, Vice-President of Equatorial Guinea, fueling speculation that the engineers were caught in a political crossfire.
After sustained diplomatic efforts by the South African government, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared their imprisonment unlawful in July 2024, calling for their immediate release. On 21 June 2025, following a presidential pardon by Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Potgieter and Huxham were freed and safely returned to South Africa. They arrived at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg that same evening, where they were warmly welcomed by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, and their families.
The families expressed overwhelming relief and described the two years and four months of detention as “unimaginably painful.” They also highlighted the critical role of diplomatic engagement, humanitarian appeals, and international advocacy in securing the engineers’ freedom.
The South African government issued the following statement:
Release of two South African nationals from detention in Equatorial Guinea following Presidential Pardon
Issued by the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, 21 June 2025
The Government of the Republic of South Africa welcomes the release of Mr Peter Shane Huxham and Mr Frederic Potgieter from detention in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. This release follows the granting of clemency by the President of Equatorial Guinea.
The two South African nationals were arrested on 9 February 2023 and subsequently sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. 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 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 Government of South Africa acknowledges the complexity of the matter, including its sensitive diplomatic and legal dimensions. It 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 Government of South Africa 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.
Enquiries: Mr Chrispin Phiri, Ministry Spokesperson
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria, 0084
