South Africa 'deeply saddened' by killing of hostage in Yemen
South Africa said Sunday it was "deeply saddened" by the killing in Yemen of one its own, a man who left a career coaching at an elite school for charity work in the unstable Arabian peninsula country.
Teacher Pierre Korkie, 56, who had been held captive since May 2013, was killed along with American photojournalist Luke Somers when US commandos stormed an Al-Qaeda hideout in Yemen early on Saturday.
The South African government said it had undertaken "numerous initiatives" to help secure Korkie's release, but did not elaborate.
An undated picture provided on December 6, 2014 by the Gift of the Givers charity shows South African Pierre Korkie before he was kidnapped in Yemen
"We are therefore saddened that the kidnapping ended in the tragic death of Mr Korkie, a man innocent of any crime," the government said in a statement.
The failed US raid came after the kidnappers had threatened in a video to kill Somers within 72 hours, and just a day before Korkie was due to be released under a negotiated deal.
Korkie's captors had previously demanded a ransom of $3 million (2.2 million euros).
But South African charity Gift of the Givers, which was negotiating for his release via Bedouin intermediaries, had said there had been a deal to pay $200,000.
Before Korkie's move to Yemen in 2009, the deeply religious father of a teenage son and daughter had spent 23 years at the prestigious Grey College in Bloemfontein, where he taught and coached some of South Africa's sports legends.
"He was a real gentleman, he had a calmness, was very calm, he demanded respect but didn't ask for it," said Ryk Neethling, who won a gold medal in freestyle relay swimming in the 2004 Olympics.
"I can only imagine what he must have been going through over the last year and half, but I think that calmness really helped them to get through everything," Neethling said.
Korkie's wife Yolande, who was taken hostage with her husband, was freed in January after what the Pretoria statement said was an "intervention" by the South African government, along with Gift of the Givers and the Yemeni government.
The former coach's body is expected to arrive in South Africa on Monday.
- 'An excellent teacher' -
Korkie studied agricultural science at the University of the Free State, where he was known for his penchant for discussing vegetable growing and raising sheep. During his decades at Grey College he was said never to leave the school except to work on a farm.
He remained active throughout his life, giving him a strong physical presence. In recent times his health was on the decline and his family believed he went entirely deaf during his captivity.
Korkie was a personification of the Afrikaner culture -- which is a white South African minority descended from the country's first Dutch and French Huguenot settlers -- with his focus on sport, farming and his Christian faith.
"He was an excellent teacher, that was the love of his life, he was a committed Christian and he served the poor with a glad heart... wherever he went," said Daan Nortier, a spokesman and lawyer for the Korkie family.
Despite their deep commitment to their Christian faith, the Korkies did not clash with their Muslim neighbours in Yemen.
"Most of their friends were Muslim," said Imtiaz Sooliman, president of Gift of the Givers. "They used to go to Muslim homes and their children played with Muslim children."
"When Yolande was released she was flooded with messages from Yemeni Muslim friends. The missionary issue did not seem to be significant here," he added.
This picture dated January 16, 2014 shows South African Yolande Korkie, a former hostage and wife of Pierre Korkie, holding a press conference in Johannesburg to appeal for the release of her husband ©Marco Longari (AFP/File)
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