Kidnap deadline looms

If freed South African hostage Yolande Korkie's husband is released, the couple will renew their wedding vows later this year.

Yolande was freed last Friday after being held hostage for eight months by al-Qaeda terrorists in Yemen. Her captors have given her until today to find $3-million (about R32-million) to secure her husband Pierre's freedom.

Otherwise, they said they would behead him.

"We gave her to you at no charge, but remember, for Pierre we want $3-million," her captors said.

"If you don't give it to us in eight days, we'll give you Pierre's head in a box. We'll deliver it to you," the kidnappers said, according to Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman.

The eight days expire today.

The Korkies were kidnapped in Yemen in May last year.

Greeting her captors in Arabic yesterday, Yolande made an appeal for her husband's release.

"Salaam Alaikum al-Qaeda ... thank you for releasing me. For giving me back to my children. That is a thank you that cannot be said in words. Thank you for treating us with kindness and respect. Thank you for bringing medicine when my husband needed it.

"I am asking you today, please release my husband," she said, breaking down in tears.

Sooliman said that there was no way the family would be able to raise the necessary money.

"This is a crisis situation. We have 24 hours to get Pierre out or get an extension of time. To be blunt, this media conference is an international appeal for a stay of execution," he said. "There is no way anybody in South Africa is going to raise R32-million."

The couple, who have been married for 20 years, have promised each other that, once their ordeal is over, they will renew their wedding vows.

"Maybe, if you're lucky, you'll get an invitation," said Yolande.

Crying, she said: "Apart from the kidnapping, to be separated from Pierre in that way was the worst. He is our hero."

The 55-year-old Pierre, who is partly deaf in both ears, has a hernia in his groin and needs an urgent operation, she said.

Yolande's release was secured by the work of Gift of the Givers' office manager in Yemen, Anas al-Hamati, who started making inquiries about the couple after hearing about their disappearance.

He received a call from al-Qaeda last week offering to open negotiations.