Ramaphosa using official visit to China to secure release of SA tourists
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is using his official visit to China to secure the release of around five South Africans still detained in that country.
“We can confirm that our deputy president who is in China, not on a state visit, but an official visit to China, has taken the opportunity of his presence there to also raise this matter,” Nkoana-Mashabane told reporters in Pretoria at a briefing that is focused on discussing the country’s role in recent international meetings, and how these developments affect the country.
Ramaphosa arrived in Beijing on Monday. Nkoana-Mashabane said of the ten South Africans who were initially detained in China, that around five were now awaiting a flight back to Pretoria.
The South Africans are part of a tour group who were detained by the Chinese authorities last week, reportedly on suspicion of being associated with a terror group or banned organisation.
According to earlier reports from the Gift of the Givers organisation, one of the arrested South Africans was a veteran of the African National Congress’ armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, and three are related to Vodacom chief executive’s Shameel Joosub.
The statement indicated that a tour group of 20 tourists, consisting of 10 South Africans, nine Britons, and one Indian were arrested in Edros, Inner Mongolia, and detained without charge, ending a tour of ancient China.
ANA