The South African government has denied paying €3.5m in ransom for the release of Stephen McGown who had been held hostage by Islamist militants in Mali since November 2011. McGown‚ who was released last Saturday‚ was one of the last three hostages to be released by the militants. Earlier on Thursday‚ Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane briefed the media about his release and said he was currently undergoing medical check-ups. "It took us about five years and eight months for him to be released through long discussions and negotiations‚ we didn’t pay money. Obviously‚ the government thanked Mali‚ the African Union and the various NGOs that supported this process and other role players as this wasn’t an effort by a singe individual‚ it was a collaborative effort by many players‚" said Clayson Monyela‚ spokesperson for the Department of International Relations. "We don’t have a policy of responding to anonymous people. What was said by the minis...
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