Status on the action taken by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to locate and return the remains of a South African citizen from Libya

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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: 1422 (NW1585E)

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 14-2011 OF 3 JUNE 2011

 Mr JJ McGluwa (ID) to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:

1. Whether her department has taken any action to locate and return the remains of a certain person (name furnished) from Libya; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so,

2. Whether the said person’s passport has been acquired from the Libyan officials; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

 REPLY:

1. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation is committed to retrieving the mortal remains of Mr Anton Hammerl. As is now known, Mr. Hammerl was shot by loyalist forces and reportedly left to die just east of the town of Brega on 5 April 2011. This location was and effectively remains the eastern front in the civil war in Libya. Until hostilities cease no Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) activities are possible. In the meantime the DNA profiles of Mr. Hammerl’s parents were processed and made available to the Libyan Government in Tripoli.

2. Mr Hammer’s mortal remains and his South African passport have yet to be found.

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