How Mandela-Gaddafi past relations saved Marumo duo
Libyan businessman Dr Ali Elzargha has expressed his dissatisfaction with how the negotiations over detained Marumo Gallants duo but revealed one aspect that saved the situation.
Rufus Matsena and Amos Dhlomo are expected to leave Benghazi in Libya on Sunday, 9 April, after what will be 22 days in the North African country. They arrived in Libya on 19 March for the CAF Confederation Cup match against Al Akhdar.
Gallants owner Abram Sello has now paid US$14 000 [ R254 000], which is 50 per cent of a readjusted R506 091.
MARUMO GALLANTS DUO SAVED BY LONG-STANDING RELATIONS
But speaking to FARPost on Friday evening, Dr Elzargha said one of the reasons he has accepted the new offer is because he doesn’t want to jeopardise the relationship between the two countries built by late former presidents Nelson Mandela and Muammar Gaddafi.
“I don’t want to break the strong relations that the two countries have between Mandela and Gaddafi, and I didn’t want to break it for such a person, this is why I agreed on everything,”
“I had told them that if they had not paid me my money before the past Monday, I will add 10 per cent. But I took it off just because of Mandela and Muammar Gaddafi and our historic relationship between the two countries.
“I lost my money now because when you send money from South Africa to Libya, I lose 10 per cent. Our bank is not international. These people are trying to spread perceptions that Dr Ali is doubling the prices, and it’s not correct.”
ABRAM SELLO RELIEVED BY LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Meanwhile, Gallants also released a statement on Saturday confirming that they anticipated their two staff members on Sunday.
“We are immensely relieved that our staff will be returning home safely,” said Sello in the club statement.
“They are anxious to get back to their families and their lives here in South Africa. We would like to thank all parties that assisted in us getting to this point.”
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation also issued a statement on Saturday. They insist it was money extortion by Dr Elzargha.
“We don’t think it is the end of the story, but we only need to get the two gentlemen. We will see what can be done about the other 50%, which in our and the chairman’s view, is extortion. It was not an easy settlement to come to,” said head of public diplomacy Clayson Monyela.
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