Five S.Africans held over ‘propaganda videos’ to be freed in China

Five South African citizens who were detained in China one week ago after being accused of watching “propaganda videos” will be released shortly, the South African government said Friday.

A total of 20 visitors from South Africa, Britain and India were held at Ordos airport in China’s Inner Mongolia region last Friday.

Six Britons and five South Africans have already been released.

“The remaining five (South Africans) who still couldn’t make it back home will be released in the coming 72 hours,” Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told her country’s Eyewitness News website.

“We’re happy that we’ve been able to find an amicable diplomatic solution to this challenge.”

She did not say whether the other four people would also be released.

The reason for the detentions has not been confirmed, but Gift of the Givers, a humanitarian relief organisation based in South Africa, earlier said it was for allegedly “watching propaganda videos” in a hotel.

The group was reported to be on a 47-day tour of China’s ancient sites.

The ruling Communist party, suspicious of overseas groups, has in recent months tightened controls on foreigners living and working in the country.