Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 19-04-2017
As the holy month of Ramadaan approaches, the former wife of Lenasia South photojournalist Shiraz Mohamed says the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) and NGO Gift of the Givers must do all they can to get him back to South Africa.
Mohamed was kidnapped near the border with Turkey more than three months ago as he was returning home after accompanying the Gift of the Givers on a humanitarian mission.
No group has claimed responsibility for his kidnapping nor has a ransom been demanded.
Yesterday Mohamed spent his 39th birthday in captivity in Syria with still no news about his whereabouts.
Shaaziya Brijlal told News24 it was not an easy day for the family especially with the start of Ramadaan in May.
“It’s family time, it’s special time and Shiraaz is quite a pious Muslim. It’s going to be terribly difficult for us as a family, as his loved ones, to have to deal with all of that. So I ask everybody to please keep him in their prayers.”
In February Cape Town based NGO Truth Collective South Africa’s Director Bakar al-Maharmeh was quoted as saying that Mohammad was alive and that plans were under way to get him back home within the next month.
With more than two months since the statement was made by Maharmeh, Mohamed has still not been found or been returned to South Africa.
Brijlal says DIRCO and Gift of the Givers need to do more to help Mohamed.
“Even Gift of the Givers must be held accountable. It’s been three months and there’s been almost a complete silence on the part of Gift of the Givers. So we need to ask probing questions as the media, as the country, as South Africans.”
Dirco spokesperson Nelson Kgwete says the South African embassy in Damascus was working with the Syrian government to resolve the matter and that no progress had been made so far.
0 Comments