Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma has told the Department of International Relations to exhaust all diplomatic channels to trace the missing photographer Anton Hammerl.
The Presidency said Zuma was being briefed on the matter regularly.
“President Zuma instructed the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to use the necessary diplomatic channels to obtain information regarding his whereabouts,” said the Presidency.
Media groups and friends of the missing photographer have even held demonstrations in a bid to draw attention to Hammerl’s plight.
The Presidency said the South African mission in Tripoli has now partially opened and doing everything possible to locate Hammerl and two other journalists from Spain and the United States who are believed to be held by pro-Muammar Gaddafi forces in Libya.
After the evacuation of all South Africans in Libya – including staff at South Africa’s embassy – it was difficult for the Presidency to obtain information on Hammerl. – BuaNews
