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NATIONAL NEWS - Long-suffering South African businessman Daniel Janse van Rensburg has endured a gruelling nine-year court battle against the despotic Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodorin Obiang, relating to the businessman’s illegal incarceration in the notorious Black Beach Prison between 2013 and 2015.  

On Tuesday 19 November, the Supreme Court of Appeal will hear Obiang's petition against the refusal of a full bench of the Cape High Court to rescind Judge Slingers' judgment in December 2021, wherein leave was refused to allow Obiang to appeal the judgment of Judge Lekhuleni that awarded Daniel R39 882 000 in damages against the West African politician.  

The latest development marks a pivotal moment in this high-profile case. 

Widely publicised across the world, it has drawn outrage at the playboy 'president-in-waiting's' flamboyant jet-set lifestyle and flagrant abuse of power, while the population of this small but wealthy country suffer severe hardship and misery with most living below the poverty line.

The stand-off is set to reach a critical juncture as the Supreme Court convenes later this month.

“I have absolute faith in the judicial system and know that the judges hearing this latest appeal will quickly realise that this is yet another stalling tactic by Teodorin Obiang to avoid settling my award,” said Janse van Rensburg.  

“Meanwhile, two innocent South African men are suffering under horrific conditions in prison in Equatorial Guinea in what is clearly seen as retaliation for my having seized Obiang’s superyacht, the Blue Shadow, in February 2023.

“I believe that justice will prevail, and I will finally be able to move on with my life and that the two men, who were inadvertently caught up in this drama, will be released to be reunited with their families.”  

Obiang, who refers to himself as ‘Teddy’ and frequently flaunts his playboy lifestyle on Instagram and X, has been besieged with litigation from countries around the world, facing criminal charges of corruption, embezzlement and money laundering in the United States, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain.

The dispute between Obiang and the French government ended up in the International Court of Justice, the highest court in the world. In February 2020, the seizure of Obiang’s multi-million Euro Paris residence was confirmed, refuting the claim that the building was immune from judgment under diplomatic immunity.

In addition, the highest court in France upheld Obiang’s embezzlement conviction and he was sentenced in absentia to three years imprisonment. Assets totalling 150m euros (R2.85bn) were also confiscated.  

Janse van Rensburg vs Obiang timeline

In 2012, the South African businessman was tasked by Obiang’s uncle, Gabriel Mba Bela Angabi, to establish an airline in Equatorial Guinea. 

Having worked in aviation in the region before, he was aware of the country’s poor airline safety record, but despite his initial misgivings, Janse van Rensburg accepted the contract and set about acquiring aircraft, addressing compliance issues, and hiring management, sales, and logistics staff to run the airline which was to be known as Coriscair.  

In 2013, confident that everything was in place and compliant with international guidelines, Janse van Rensburg flew to Malabo for what he expected to be the champagne launch of Coriscair. 

However, at a breakfast meeting he was met by a recalcitrant Angabi who informed him that he was cancelling the project with immediate effect.

Janse van Rensburg was shocked and confused and repeatedly queried Angabi’s reasons for such a drastic decision. However, tyrants in Equatorial Guinea are not accustomed to having their actions questioned and, enraged by Janse van Rensburg's temerity, Angabi immediately made a telephone call, speaking briefly in Fang, the local dialect.  

Within 30 minutes, Obiang’s Rapid Intervention Force troops arrived, and Janse van Rensburg was handcuffed and forcibly removed from the residence at gunpoint. He was thrown into Black Beach Prison, one of the world’s most notorious prisons. 

For 423 days he was subjected to persistent torture and malnutrition, contracting dysentery, malaria and typhoid, with the authorities providing no medical assistance, and the ordeal ultimately caused irreparable damage to his mind and body.  

“Surviving just one day in that place is a miracle and after 423 days behind bars when I finally walked free; I was no longer the same man,” he said.

“The damage to my body and mind was irreversible, my ability to work or earn a living was taken from me. My family has suffered immeasurably, and we are forced to live on charity and handouts."

In September 2015, Janse van Rensburg was finally released from the hell he’d endured. He returned to South Africa, where he was met by Victor Rambau, the former South African ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, and an excited crowd who were overjoyed to welcome him back. 

Determined to seek justice for his suffering, Janse van Rensburg commenced legal proceedings against Obiang who, as Minister of State Security and Prisons in his father’s government, was ultimately held responsible for the South African businessman’s illegal incarceration.  

In 2016, as part of this process, Janse van Rensburg’s legal representatives attached two Cape Town properties owned by Obiang: a mansion in Bishopscourt and a bungalow on Clifton Beach. 

Nobody could have thought that some years later, as the case dragged on, in a malicious act of revenge, two innocent South African engineers would be arrested and held in prison in Equatorial Guinea as hostages against the release of these two properties.  

Despite multiple challenges by Obiang, including appeals to the Constitutional Court, the attachment of the two properties was upheld and the main trial commenced.  

In March 2021, the quantum hearing took place, and in June, Judge Lekhuleni ordered Obiang to pay Janse van Rensburg R39 882 000 in damages.

Janse van Rensburg proceeded to execute against the judgment and the Sheriff seized and sold the contents of Obiang’s two properties, which have subsequently not been maintained at all and have fallen into disrepair.  

Blue Shadow and two SA engineers
In 2023, Obiang’s application to have the judgment against him rescinded was dismissed by the full bench of the Cape High Court. Consequently, on 7 February 2023, the Sheriff of the Court seized Obiang’s luxury superyacht, Blue Shadow, in the execution of Janse van Rensburg’s judgment.

Obiang retaliated two days later by orchestrating the arrest of the South African engineers employed by the Dutch-based oil and gas contractors SBM Offshore.

Frederik Potgieter and Peter Huxham faced trumped-up drug charges and were thrown into Black Beach Prison, later facing a kangaroo court where they were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment each and a fine of $10m.

SA government attempts to resolve the matter
Efforts by the Department of International Relations to intervene were fruitless, culminating in an unsuccessful attempt by former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor visiting Equatorial Guinea on 5 May in an endeavour to secure the release of the two men.  

On 1 July, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions submitted a report stating that, inter alia, “The deprivation of liberty of Mr Huxham and Mr Potgieter, being in contravention of articles 3, 9, 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is arbitrary”.

On 22 October, the South African Parliament condemned the “unlawful imprisonment” of the two South African engineers and called on Government to facilitate their release. 

Potgieter and Huxham remain caught in the political crossfire between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea with Obiang determined to hold them hostage against the release of his two Cape Town properties, which are being held by Janse van Rensburg as security for payment of the judgment awarded to him.

The two SBM Offshore employees were arrested in retaliation for Janse van Rensburg’s legal team having seized the 70-metre luxury yacht Blue Shadow, (one of three duper yachts owned by Vice President Obiang), while it was moored in Cape Town. 

Despite the subsequent release of the vessel, Obiang continues to detain the two South Africans, holding them hostage against Janse van Rensburg surrendering the two Cape Town properties.

Obiang's property in Bishopscourt is beyond repair. Time for dictators to face judgement

“The world must act against tyrants such as Teodorin Obiang, whose abuse of power has been widely documented and challenged in courts across the world,” said Janse van Rensburg. 

“I faced charges relating to my 2013 business dealings with a close member of the Obiang presidential family and was declared innocent by the court in Equatorial Guinea. I was free to go! Instead, I was abducted by Obiang’s Rapid Intervention Force and thrown into Black Beach prison.

“During this time, I was denied contact with lawyers, my loved ones, as well as representatives of the South African government, even though I had not been convicted of having committed any crime.”

He said the evidence he has provided was incorporated into a book in which he describes his horrific ordeal in Black Beach Prison. “The political elite in Equatorial Guinea disregard human rights and the law, using their positions of power to strike back against those that get in their way,” he added.

The upcoming hearing on 19 November will be a decisive moment, highlighting the ongoing struggle for justice and human rights and potentially bringing closure to a nine-year ordeal for Janse van Rensburg.

Unfortunately, the fate of Huxham and Potgieter remains in the hands of Obiang.  

It is hoped that his father, the president, will bow to international pressure and, understanding the benefits to his country, will intervene by releasing the two hostages who were unwittingly caught up in the struggle over his son’s Cape Town properties.

Despite several requests by South Africa for proof of life, Huxham and Potgieter’s fate and welfare are currently unknown and Equatorial Guinea have ignored requests to gain access to see them.

Previous articles:

• South Africans detained in EG: No release until Obiang gets his houses back
• UN Steps in to free two men from EG
• Families launch online campaign to free SA engineers from Equatorial Guinea
• Engineers detained in Equatorial Guinea: Government urged to help
• SA Engineers in Equatorial Guinea to appeal their shocking sentence
• SA-ingenieurs kry 12 jaar tronkstraf en moet R141-miljoen opdok
• Georgian and man from Langebaan detained in Black Beach Prison 
• Equatorial Guinea lashes back over superyacht
• Multimillion superyacht seized to pay Hoekwil local
• Hoekwil man launches book after hell in foreign prison
• Rotary and Black Beach rock!
• Black Beach prison survivor to launch book soon
• Play must pay Hoekwil local R40m

Teodorin Obiang

Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham. Photo: Supplied Obiang's luxury yacht docked in Cape Town. ‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’