South African journalist Roshan Micah Reddy, who is attached to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), went missing in Djibouti on Saturday, along with his “local fixer”, Kooki Mahmoud.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the department was aware of the disappearance, but he was unable to provide further details.
According to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Africa director Angela Quintal, as of Sunday morning, there have yet been no further updates.
“CPJ is deeply concerned by reports that South African journalist Micah Reddy and his local fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, are missing in Djibouti and urges authorities to immediately clarify their whereabouts and ensure their safety,” Quintal said.
According to a media house in the East African country, La Voix de Djibouti, Reddy had been staying at the Escale International Hotel and had been in Djibouti since Thursday.
It said the ICIJ and his colleagues had received no news from him since 06:00 on Sunday.
La Voix de Djibouti further claimed that the hotel was believed to be owned by members of the family of Djiboutian President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh and was known to be a stronghold of the Djiboutian secret services.
Reddy’s mother, Tessa Reddy, told News24 that the family had last heard from Reddy on Saturday morning and was “very concerned”.
According to his mother, Reddy, who is based in Johannesburg, travelled to Djibouti on Thursday for an assignment.
However, News24 understands that he was not there to focus on Djibouti.
He was due to return on Monday.
Quintal confirmed that Reddy was there and that he was “not focused on Djibouti.”
Attempts to reach his employer for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Previously, Reddy worked as an investigative journalist at the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism in South Africa, which he joined in 2017. Before that, he was the national coordinator for media freedom and diversity at the Right2Know Campaign.
Reddy holds a master’s degree in African studies from Oxford University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Wits University.
He was also the managing editor at the Yemen Times in Sana’a and has worked as an editor in Egypt, as well as on a range of freelance research and reporting projects, most recently in Ukraine.