A Gift of the Givers hostage negotiator is in Mali hoping to secure the release of Swellendam paramedic Gerco van Deventer, who has been held captive for more than six years after being kidnapped in Libya in 2017, and then sold to a group in Mali.
The organisation has been helping his family, who recently heard that he was now in Mali, to organise his safe return.
Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman said their intermediary landed on Sunday morning, reports EWN. “He’s already spoken to people we’ve dealt with before,” he said.
While they had negotiated to pay R500 000 for Van Deventer’s safe return, it was possible the hostage might be released without any ransom being paid.
“Recorded history shows that once or twice, people have been released without payment. There are factors for and against. Number one is the fact that he was bought, he wasn’t captured by them directly.”
Van Deventer was kidnapped on 3 November 2017 while on his way to the Awbari power plant where he was employed as an on-site emergency medical practitioner.
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