Missing Man’s Wife Pleads: Please Help Me Bring my Hubby Back Home

South African businessman Andre Hanekom is still missing in Mozambique under mysterious circumstances.

On Thursday his wife of 36 years, Francis, took to Facebook to urge people to sign a petition to the Government and Mozambique police to free him.

The petition claims Hanekom, who had been living in Mozambique for 25 years, has been illegally detained. Hanekom was first arrested in August after allegedly being shot in the arm and kidnapped in Palma. He was released by the courts for “wrongful arrest” but detained again.

The petition says he has “gone missing in police hands”, and claims the South African Embassy is “not interested in assisting”.

Ten days ago the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya told News24 that Hanekom was facing “a number of charges” in Mozambique.

Mabaya told the media outlet: “We have been in contact with the family and with the [Mozambican] police. This is not an easy matter. But he was arrested – not kidnapped.”

He said it was a “complicated case”.

According to the petition, Hanekom “has not done any illegal activities”. Friends and those close to the family believe he is a scapegoat and is being framed by those pursuing shady business deals (watch video below).

In a Facebook post on 12 October Hanekom’s wife Francis explained Hanekom had been mistaken for somebody supporting terrorists, when in fact she had proof he was elsewhere at the time. (See post at the bottom of this page.)

She asked people to sign and share the petition, saying: “Please help me bring my hubby back home. It is terribly lonely and miserable without him.”

In a message to her husband, she said:

Andre, today is 16 days these evil men are hiding you from us. I hope you are well, I hope they feed you well and have kept you in a safe place. I hope they give you painkillers for the constant pain in your bullet damaged arm. I hope your soul stay intact and beautiful, as we remember you. I HOPE YOU ARE STILL ALIVE!!!! we miss you. Be strong. We will find you, we are not alone. In just 18 hours our new petition has 188 people that also demand an answer. That is excluding the multiple people that work tirelessly and chase all information possible. We will find you…

Hanekom’s daughter Andrie has also urged people to sign the petition.

I am asking this as a daughter, and as a person that also lived in Mozambique for many years. I love Mozambique but need help today from all to find my dad. He is a good person my father, my Mother has done so much for Mozambique, helping to open Clinica Cruz Azul in Maputo and did the demining in maputo. She helped thousands of people when she opened a clinic for the community in Pemba. They are amazing People and don’t deserve this. Please help

Andrie said: “My Mother is alone fighting for my father, he is an innocent man caught in a battle for his marina and some bad people are involved as they went to lengths to smear his name, plant stories and instigate hate towards my Family.”

She says many people are “extremely scared of the military who she alleges have “grabbed” more than 30 people. She says “something is not right” and she won’t stop until the truth is known.

“I believe if all expats/investors stand together to bring this problem to the government and the President, they will put better protection in place for the expat civilians, especially in the north of Mozambique.”

https://www.facebook.com/francis.hanekom.3/posts/2752631884763019

https://www.facebook.com/craigpmontgomery/videos/10216654441530579/

Francis’ message on 12 October:

https://www.facebook.com/francis.hanekom.3/posts/2726660130693528