Time running out for kidnapped Korkie

With the ransom deadline looming, Pierre Korkie's family have been told to prepare themselves for "any eventuality".

The South African has been held captive by al-Qaeda militants in Yemen for eight months after he and his wife, Yolande, were kidnapped. His wife was released last month.

Fears are growing that the kidnappers will follow through on their threat to kill the Bloemfontein teacher if the R32-million ransom is not paid by Saturday.

In a dramatic week, humanitarian group Gift of the Givers had to withdraw its manager, Anas al-Hamati, from Yemen because of fears for his safety and that of his family.

Fingers have been pointed at an "ill-advised" visit by a high-ranking South African government official to Yemen to plead with the kidnappers to release Korkie unconditionally.

Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said he told the government that a visit to that country by Deputy Minister of International Relations Ebrahim Ebrahim was "untimely".

"We can't tell a government what to do, although in an informal discussion I did mention that a trip may be untimely and may give the impression that Pierre is a highly important citizen and that's why a minister is coming. They must have had their own viewpoint," said Sooliman.

Al-Hamati was the only person who had direct contact with the al-Qaeda group and successfully negotiated Yolan-de's release. But after Ebra-him's visit, the group accused him of "stealing" the money they believed Ebrahim had brought to pay the ransom.

Ebrahim, in a televised interview on Yemeni television, asked the kidnappers to release Korkie."Pierre Korkie is gravely ill and desperately needs medical attention," he said. "His life is in danger. Islam enjoins us to show mercy and forbids us from harming the sick, even in war. I beg those who are holding him to release him without delay."

He later emphasised that in talks with the authorities in Yemen "we reiterated that the South African government does not pay ransom under any circumstances".

This appeal backfired dramatically and al-Hamati, who fled Yemen with his family as concerns about his safety mounted , said he believed the visit scuppered his chances and destroyed the "trust" he had built with the terrorists.

South Africa's policy is much the same as that of other democracies the world over in that it does not negotiate with terrorists or pay ransom to terror organisations.

Sooliman said yesterday there had been no further contact with the kidnappers. "The Korkie family are updated by me all the way with all the possible outcomes," he said.