Libya lied to SA about photographer: Minister

The Libyan government lied about photographer Anton Hammerl to South Africa, International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Friday

“We kept getting reassured at the highest level that he was alive until his colleagues were released and shared the information yesterday,” she told reporters in Pretoria.

“Mr Hammerl’s death is a very unfortunate act and the government and the people of South Africa condemn the perpetrators of these actions.”   

She expressed disappointment that news of his death came not from Libyan authorities, but from the journalists who were with him  when he was killed on April 5.

Austria’s ambassador to South Africa Otto Ditz said: “We are very disappointed at the Libyan side that they had not conveyed the  news. Now we hope they will be co-operative and show us where he is  buried so we can bring him to his family for proper burial”.

He carried dual SA-Austrian citizenship.

Nkoana-Mashabane and Ditz expressed condolences to Hammerl’s family for their “tragic loss”. They would continue getting consular services.

American journalists Clare Morgana Gillis and James Foley, and Spanish photographer Manuel Brabu, were with Hammerl when forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi shot at them in the desert near Brega on April 5. Hammerl was hit in the stomach. The other three were taken captive.

Nkoana-Mashabane said the journalists did not mention Hammerl’s death earlier as they feared for their safety.

She thanked Austrian authorities for their co-operation.

Ditz said they had received information from Hammerl’s brother that he had gone missing and had been working with South African authorities since.

“We could not have done any better. We followed up on all possible channels we could.”   

There had been no hint from Libyan authorities that Hammerl was dead.

Instead they received empty promises, he said.

Ditz described Hammerl as a “great photographer who knew the risks”.

• SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) chairman Mondli Makhanya said: “We would have appreciated more honesty from the Libyan government”.

He hoped Hammerl’s body would be found.

The forum was “devastated and angry” at the turn of events.

Sanef had a meeting with the department of international relations early on Friday morning, a meeting which was initially aimed at finding ways to locate the photojournalist and get him back home.

“But now we’ve met under grim and sad circumstances. Now we’re talking about Hammerl in the past tense.”   

Makhanya called Hammerl a brave journalist who told stories both  happy and sad.

“We are paying tribute to someone who was just a fantastic guy, a person we all loved very much and shared great moments with.”   

• The Communication Workers Union (CWU) national spokesperson Matankana Mothapo said the union was saddened by the death, reportedly at the hands of the forces aligned to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya on 5 April 2011.

"Anton Hammerl was an outstanding, courageous, dedicated and committed photographer.

"As CWU, we condemn the killing of Hammerl and the continued onslaught on protesters by Gaddafi’s forces in Lybia. We call on the South African International Relations Minister to sanction an   investigation into the circumstances leading to the arrest and the subsequent killing of Anton Hammerl.

"Our condolences go to Hammerl’s family, friends and the media fraternity both at home and abroad."

South Africa had so far only confirmed Hammerl’s death through the journalists and not via United Nations sources.