Missing South African mechanic freed after weeks in captivity in Mozambique

A 30-year-old South African mechanic who disappeared after an apparent militant attack on a hunting camp in northern Mozambique has been released and is safely back on his way home.

The man, from Phalaborwa in Limpopo, had been missing since 3 September after militants reportedly attacked the camp where he was working in the Marrupa district of Niassa Province.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed that he was released unharmed.

Mechanic leaves Mozambique after release

Dirco media liaison director Nelson Kgwete said the South African national left Mozambique on Wednesday, 7 October 2026.

The man had been working as a mechanic at the hunting camp when the attack took place.

His disappearance sparked concern after it emerged that a number of people at the camp could not be accounted for following the incident.

Kgwete said the South African High Commission in Maputo had worked with various stakeholders in Mozambique to provide consular assistance and help secure the man’s release.

“The South African government extends its gratitude to the Government of Mozambique for its efforts towards the safe release of the South African national,” Kgwete said.

Militants attacked camp in Niassa

Information provided to Dirco by the South African Embassy in Mozambique indicated that militants stormed the hunting camp, where several South Africans were working alongside Mozambican nationals and people from other neighbouring countries.

The attack was not limited to the camp, with surrounding communities also reportedly affected.

Kgwete previously said the four other South Africans at the camp managed to escape.

The Phalaborwa mechanic was among an estimated 15 to 20 people who were initially reported missing following the attack.

At the time, authorities were cautious about identifying the attackers or determining their motive.

Kgwete said the matter had to be investigated by Mozambican authorities rather than relying on speculation about who was behind the violence.

Local communities were also forced to flee

The attack reportedly had consequences well beyond the hunting camp.

People living in surrounding communities were also said to have fled in different directions as violence spread through the area.

That meant the incident affected not only those working at the camp but also local residents caught up in the insecurity.

Niassa is particularly significant because it borders Cabo Delgado, the epicentre of Mozambique’s long-running armed insurgency.

The conflict in northern Mozambique has continued since 2017, with thousands of people killed and more than a million displaced.

Violence linked to the insurgency has also affected areas outside Cabo Delgado, including parts of Niassa and Nampula.

For the South African mechanic and his family, however, the latest development brings an end to weeks of uncertainty.

He has now left Mozambique following his release and is safely on his way back home.

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Source: The Citizen