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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I was left to rot in rat-infested jail on ‘spying' charges for 100 days with 80 crammed in cell – I thought I would die
A BRIT dad jailed on unfounded spying charges has told how he was crammed into a tiny rat-infested cell for 100 days. Richard Perham, 30, told The Sun how he and fellow Brit Paul Inch, 50, had been on a four-day job to collect a downed research balloon in Guinea - but ended up in a hellhole jail for three months. 13 Richard Perham (L) and Paul Inch (C) were kept in a Guinea prison for 100 days Credit: PR Handout 13 The two men should have only been in Guinea for four days to recover equipment for Aerostar International Credit: PR Handout 13 Paul said how 'survival became his full time job' Credit: PR Handout 13 Two days into their trip, Richard, from Bristol, and Paul, of Blaenau Ffestiniog, were cuffed and accused of spying, sedition, breaching national defence, and violating airspace by cops. They were thrown into one of West Africa's most overcrowded and dangerous jails - Conakry Central Prison - that operates at 475 per cent of its capacity. The Brits claim they were extorted, threatened with sexual and physical violence, and pushed to the brink - not knowing if or when they were going to get let out. After returning to the UK just over a week ago, Richard recalled the nightmare he has lived since the beginning of the year. read more news He told The Sun: "Day to day we were facing challenges such as hygiene, cramped conditions, distressing things - maybe we were seeing violence. "We were staying in a cell the size of a train carriage - and that was housing about 80 people. "And during the night, when everyone was sleeping, the whole floor was covered with mattresses, people sleeping, two by two, one, two people to one mattress. "[We] were all sharing one toilet, one shower, the place was really unhygienic." Most read in The US Sun To avoid being transferred to a more violent section of the prison , the two Brits were forced to make regular extortion payments to prisoners and staff. There were also no guards stationed inside cell blocks. Moment deported Tren de Aragua gang inmates scream and rattle cells at US officials in notorious El Salvador mega-prison And Richard described how diseases such as malaria were rampant in the hellhole jail. The water was so contaminated they had to disinfect their skin after washing - and both men suffered dehydration, gastrointestinal illnesses, and skin infections. Richard said: "There were open sewers. There were rats running around in the rafters, and you know, sometimes even dropping down and running over us whilst we were sleeping. "It was really difficult, as you can imagine." Brave Richard and Paul thought their nightmare was finally over 60 days later when they were told they were being let go. But at this point, they unknowingly had 82 days of hell to go. 13 The two Brits were in Conakry Central Prison in a cramped cell with 80 others Credit: PR Handout 13 Richard Perham with his baby before the Guinea ordeal Credit: PR Handout 13 Paul Inch endured the ordeal alongside Richard Credit: PR Handout Richard said: "We had the embassy waiting at the gates to collect us. "We packed our things up, we gave away things to other prisoners, and we signed out of the prison . "This all took about an hour and was really emotional. It was really high, and also really nerve wracking. "We hadn't been out of the prison , for, two months at that point. "We got to the outer gate, at which point one of the guards made a phone call to the local prosecutor and we were turned around and marched back in which was absolutely crushing. "It just totally smashed us." Another 40 days passed of being locked up in the hellhole slammer - with the pair living in "fear for our lives each day" and only being able to contact family members via letter. Richard said he "missed the first steps and first words of my baby daughter" which he "can never get back". And Paul's detention saw him torn away from his wife, their five children, and his three brothers. Richard explained how survival became his "full time job" where he either had the choice to "survive or give in". Describing just how he got through it, he said: "I just had to pull on all of the tools I've learned over my life to stay strong, basically. "That involved things like meditation, daily routines involving exercise, and as I said, pulling on the resilience. "I've learned from some of the sports I do regularly. "I like to run ultra marathons, and I do a lot of rock climbing and mountaineering, and through this I've learned to be resilient and to have sort of focus and make the right decisions that are gonna get you through." On the 100th day, Richard and Paul were finally freed, but neither of them could process their ordeal and instead focused on putting "one foot in front of the other". 13 Paul Inch walking out of the hellhole prison Credit: PR Handout 13 Conakry prison is renowned for its dire conditions Credit: AFP 13 A confined prisoner gestures during an attempted prison escape in Conakry in 2015 Credit: AFP Richard explained: "We packed our things, said our goodbyes and left the prison , and we left in the clothes we were wearing which was a pair of shorts, flip-flops, and a vest. "We left with our lawyer with a rucksack and two massive plastic bags in each hand, and we walked out. "We literally walked out of the prison gates. "It was very surreal. It took days to sort of catch up mentally." The first moment Richard processed his ordeal was when he finally had access to a clean, hot shower. He said: "Whilst we were in the prison, the water was not clean, so we had to disinfect ourselves after every shower. "Just simply to have a hot shower and then put some clean clothes on was just amazing." Just when they thought their ordeal was over, the two were held for another 42 days on conditional release - which Richard described as being like "a prison in itself". While he was able to finally see and speak to his family over the phone - including his daughter - it "brought new challenges because we were still having to fight our case and to secure our release". Richard said: "It wasn't guaranteed and even until the last the last day we didn't know how long we would be there. "We were still fighting to get our passports back and get our names cleared, get the charges of espionage and sedition dropped - so we we didn't know whether we'd be there for another week or another three months. "So that was that was really tricky to deal with that uncertainty." Richard ended up being released on his 30th birthday. He said that while he is happy to be home with his family , "it's going to take some time to adjust" and there are "some things I will need to unpack" due to the ordeal he had to endure. Despite this, he is "excited about the future ". 13 Richard (L) and Paul (R) returning to the UK after their ordeal Credit: PR Handout 13 The two men pictured at the airport before heading home Credit: PR Handout 13 Paul pictured on the returning flight Credit: PR Handout
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
‘I want to be with the people': Limpopo mayor resigns
Many in the ANC suspected that Mangena might have felt frustrated by ANC politics of slates Former Greater Tzaneen local municipality mayor Maripe Mangena has resigned. Mangena, who was a PR councillor representing the municipality at the Mopani district municipality in Limpopo, tendered his resignation this week. The resignation letter was noted by the ANC-led council during a council sitting at the municipal chamber on Thursday. His resignation comes after the current Mopani district municipality mayor, Pule Shayi, snubbed him during his appointment of councillors three and a half years ago. Shayi won the Norman Mashabane ANC regional elective conference a fortnight ago. Mangena did not endorse Shayi at the conference. He instead supported another slate, which was opposed to Shayi's candidature for a third term. Tension Many in the ANC suspected that Mangena might have felt frustrated by ANC politics of slates, which he was allegedly opposed to. 'We are not all President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa forgave former Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha for betraying him at the 55th ANC national elective conference on 19 December 2022. 'When many called for Mathabatha's axing, the president did not act. Instead, he continued to give him [Mathabatha] a second chance to finish his term. 'Matamela [Cyril] went on to appoint Mathabatha as Deputy Minister for Land Reform and Rural Development under his Cabinet in 2024. It must be a lesson to every politician in South Africa that no leader wants to hunt with another man's dogs. 'For sure, Mangena felt he could not continue working with a man he differed with politically for the next three years. The same goes for Shayi, he may not have been comfortable working with a man who continued showing him the middle finger,' said a municipal employee at the Mopani district municipality, who asked to speak on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak with the media on the matter. Shayi was not available for comment as he was allegedly in a meeting. ALSO READ: Third Term' slate shines at Limpopo ANC elective conference 'I want to be with the people' While Mangena told The Citizen that his resignation had not yet been processed, municipal spokesperson Neville Ndlala said the resignation was noted and accepted by council on Thursday. ANC regional spokesperson Peter Ngobeni, quoted Mangena as saying: 'I want to be with the people in their daily struggles and to freely be part of their efforts for the improvement of their lives' NOW READ: Mopani water crisis sparks control call from Tzaneen mayor
Mail & Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Simphiwe Dana reflects on two decades of music
Unknown place: Simphiwe Dana says that the album she is working on could be the final one she writes but that she will carry on performing and collaborating. I have experienced Simphiwe Dana's compelling presence on stage many times. Not to say that was her entire personality — no, Dana is much more. But there are only a few people we meet in life, from close or from a distance, and can instantly tell — they do not walk alone. Their spirit is that of our forefathers. It carries weight and respect. It announces itself quietly, with humility, yet with a magnitude impossible to ignore. Now imagine having those thoughts first thing on a Monday morning. My nerves were jittering so intensely, I forgot to have breakfast. It's not every day that one gets to speak to a voice that has held us through joy, through protest, through heartbreak and healing. At 10am sharp, as agreed with her PR person, I dialled her number. No answer. I stared at the phone. What now? Before I could decide my next move, the phone rang. Dana. 'I am so sorry I missed your call; I was just making breakfast,' she said, her voice as textured and calm as I had remembered it from countless interviews and performances. 'Do you want a few minutes to eat? I also haven't had breakfast yet,' I offered. 'Perfect,' she responded. 'Go make food and a cup of tea or coffee and I will call you back in a few,' she said. I had to pause. Am I about to have a telephonic breakfast with Simphiwe Dana? Surely, I have lived a full life. She called me back in 10 minutes. Coffee on her end. Rooibos on mine. What followed was an encounter with a soul who has been documenting the collective inner life of a nation for over two decades. Dana's debut album Zandisile, released in 2004, earned her instant acclaim and multiple South African Music Awards (Samas). I was so young but I still remember how Ndiredi played on every radio station and on every music show on TV like an anthem. It was a moment — a feeling. Maybe I didn't understand it fully then but I felt it. We all did. Dana has released a string of powerful and genre-defying albums. From One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street (2006), a bold and unapologetic celebration of black consciousness, to Kulture Noir (2010), which won her Best Female Artist and Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the Samas, Dana has always fused the traditional with the contemporary, the spiritual with the political. Her 2014 album Firebrand further cemented her place as a torchbearer of artistic activism, and in 2021, she offered Bamako, an emotionally rich and musically layered project that she partly recorded in Mali. Over 20 years since then. A number so large, even Dana herself marvels at it. 'I am really not good at celebrating myself,' she tells me. 'I always feel quite awkward about it. But this one feels different. I am giving back to a community that has given me so much for two decades. 'The response from them is thankfulness — and actually, I am the one who is thankful.' Dana will be celebrating her career at the Baxter Theatre Concert Hall, in Cape Town, on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June. This reciprocity between her and her listeners is sacred, almost spiritual. There is something in her tone that suggests gratitude but not in the usual platitudinal way. It's embodied. 'Something that is rare in life is that someone can live off doing something that they love. I am one such person. That has been given to me by people who listen to my work.' Reflecting on Zandisile, she tells me: 'When I listen to Zandisile today I think to myself, 'I was so young and wide-eyed.' I feel like I have always been old — and I am not talking about age. 'In many ways, I feel like I have not changed much from that young girl. I am not as naive anymore but the old soul thing has made me remain the same.' That old soul presence — it is something you feel when Dana walks into a room or when her voice travels through speakers and enters you. She is not tethered to the conventional measurement of age. She is measured in spirit. 'Now I am understanding why the likes of Bra Hugh Masekela were so youthful,' she says. 'Because I think he carried the same spirit.' Dana is working on a new album — one she feels might be her final one. 'This could possibly be my last album that I write,' she says. 'It is treating me differently. Not musically, but it is pushing me into an unknown place.' Not a statement of resignation, but of transformation: 'There is nothing to be sad about. I will still be performing and collaborating. There is so much I still could do. 'The thing about writing is that you usually have to take time away — and with me, it happens to be at least three years. It is very taxing on the mind and spirit. I feel like it takes years off my life … Writing is not for the weak.' She says this not with despair, but with an honesty that has long been her signature. Writing, for Dana, is not just creative — it is ritual. It demands from her. Dana's work has always carried a sharp socio-political consciousness. Her lyrics live in the hearts of the people. They ask, they challenge, they comfort, they uplift. 'As artists, we are watchers and observers. I have gone through many phases and I felt every phase that we have gone through as a country. As they say, the personal is the political.' The music is her lens. 'I try to understand why people do the things that they do in power. I try to understand if there is something that they are seeing that I am not seeing and I do that through the music. 'I am listening to the people and probing things that they care about. I literally have my ear on the ground.' She pauses. 'I write about things that bother me. The state of the country right now is something that is always on my mind. Right now, I am trying to understand who we have become and who we will be in the future.' And always, in true Dana fashion, she adds: 'Even when things are dire, there is hope.' Dana's music is often described as spiritual. It is not just because of the sonic choices or the lyrical content. It is because she is a messenger. 'Music is from our ancestors. I am a conduit. And I must honour my gift. I have to be responsible for my gift and take care of that gift by taking care of myself.' Twenty years on, I ask her which songs from her rich discography still move her as much as they've moved us. 'Songs like Nzinga — singing that song live definitely moves me. It's an adaptation of a Jonas Gwangwa song called Flowers of the Nation. I used to hear him perform it live. I would rush out and listen with my hands in the air. For me, that song is church. It is Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.' She also mentions Lakutshon' ilanga, Mayime and Inkwenkwezi. And then I ask what she would tell her younger self — Simphiwe at 24, wide-eyed, dropping Zandisile into the world. 'I would tell her to go to therapy and deal with your childhood trauma. Don't use it as some kind of fact of your story season. Deal with your trauma as soon as possible.' My rooibos has gone cold. I imagine her coffee has, too. But her voice still lingers — clear, intentional, present. Simphiwe Dana is not just a singer. She is a witness. A question. A balm. A voice from the sacred hills. And if this next album is her last, we must receive it not with sorrow but reverence. She is not done. Not by a long stretch.
IOL News
4 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Family feud postpones KwaDukuza councillor's funeral
Proportional representative councillor Sebenzile Sibiya, née Mthembu, died on May 16 after falling ill. Image: File THE KwaDukuza Magistrates Court will today hear arguments concerning a family dispute which led to the postponement of the funeral of a councillor on Saturday. Sebenzile Sibiya, née Mthembu, died on May 16 after falling ill. She was a proportional representative councillor of Lindelani, KwaDukuza, in the North Coast. The postponement was caused by a disagreement between the Mthembu family and the Sibiyas. It is alleged that even though she had a house in Lindelani, KwaDukuza, which she shared with her late husband, who died in 2021, she had another house in Gingindlovu. It was at her Gingindlovu home where she performed her family functions and rituals and where her husband is buried. According to a Sibiya relative who spoke on condition of anonymity, they overlooked the dispute on May 17, a day after the PR councillor died, when they discovered the Mthembu family occupying the Lindelani property. The relative said things got a little heated when the Mthembu family said the funeral service will be held in Lindelani and the burial will be in Gingindlovu. "The brother of her late husband, who was handling the Sibiya estate, was irritated by that. He said the deceased was a married woman and the Mthembu family shouldn't be at the forefront of the funeral arrangements. He stood up and left after it was clear that they were not reaching any agreement with the Mthembus," said the relative. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The relative said one of the Sibiya family members told the Mthembus that if they wanted her to be buried in Lindelani, they should have asked and not dictated to them. "They ended up saying they are putting in a request to the late husband's brother for her to be buried in Lindelani. The reply was that they will get feedback once the Sibiya family has sat down for a meeting to discuss their request." After the Sibiya meeting, it is alleged that the family agreed that her funeral service would take place in Lindelani and she would be buried in Gingindlovu, next to her husband. "We thought we had a deal, but armed men came and said the Mthembus sent them to say the deceased will be buried in Lindelani because they can't afford to take her to Gingindlovu," said the relative. The Sibiya family then approached the Mthembus to get the deceased's documents to handle her funeral themselves, and the Mthembus refused, said the relative. "They refused. We ended up going to the induna, who tried to intervene but was unsuccessful," said the relative. Then, on Thursday last week, they approached the court to get an interdict which effectively blocked the Mthembus from proceeding with the funeral. The court order was served to the funeral parlour on Friday. When the court order was served on the Mthembus, they refused to sign it. The Mthembus proceeded with the funeral service on Saturday, which forced the Sibiya to seek police intervention so that they would investigate if the funeral parlour released Sebenzile's remains. They discovered that the funeral service was proceeding without the deceased's corpse. After the service, the mourners had lunch and dispersed when it was clear that there would be no burial. There was no dispute between the deceased and the Sibiya family except for the late husband's children from a previous relationship and the deceased over their late father's estate, according to the relative. The induna, Pinky Ndunakazi, confirmed that the matter was brought to her by the Sibiya family last week. "They explained that they have a problem with the Mthembu family, who have turned on them, refusing to allow the deceased to be buried in Gingindlovu," said Ndunakazi. Ndunakazi said she asked indunas from nearby villages to accompany her to hear the side of the Mthembu family. "We found the wife of the deceased's brother, who said her husband was the one who was supposed to speak on behalf of the family but was not around," said Ndunakazi.
Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
What to Do After Your Business Gets Media Coverage
You landed the press hit — now what? Here's how to turn credibility into clicks and clicks into customers. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Ask most entrepreneurs what they want from a PR campaign, and you'll hear variations of the same answer: "We want to get our name out there." That's fair. Visibility matters. But here's the problem: Visibility alone doesn't pay the bills. I can't count how many business owners I've spoken with who've spent tens of thousands on PR, landed coverage in TechCrunch, Fast Company, maybe even Forbes — and still couldn't attribute a single new customer to that exposure. They got press. They didn't get pipeline. Why does this happen? Because most PR strategies stop at the headline. They chase media hits and assume the benefits will trickle down to sales. But in reality, unless you bridge the gap between awareness and action, even the best press coverage is just a missed opportunity. If you want your next media win to actually move the needle, here's how to make that happen. Related: 10 Ways to Get More Traffic After You Get Media Coverage Visibility is not the same as trust Getting mentioned in a major publication can absolutely help your brand, but not if it lives in isolation. In today's noisy digital world, buyers don't just act because they've heard of you. They act when they trust you. And trust isn't built with a single article. It's built over time, across multiple touchpoints — and especially through signals that show your brand is credible, authoritative and endorsed by others. What you're really doing with PR isn't creating noise; you're creating trust signals — evidence points that show prospects you're worth paying attention to. But here's the catch: Those trust signals only work if you use them strategically. Don't let a great press hit die in a vacuum Let's say you get featured in a respected trade publication. That's fantastic. But if the only place that coverage lives is on that publication's website — and you don't integrate it anywhere else — most of your prospects will never see it. Instead, you need to treat every media win like a high-value asset and activate it across your marketing channels: Website: Add an "As Seen In" section to your homepage or About page. Display logos of publications where you've been featured. These third-party endorsements build instant credibility. Sales collateral: Include headlines, quotes or story links in your pitch decks and outreach emails. When a prospect sees your company featured in a known outlet, it's not just impressive — it's persuasive. Social media: Share the coverage multiple times across platforms, not just once. Tag the publication, thank the journalist, and encourage employees to reshare. This extends reach and builds momentum. Email campaigns: Use the media coverage as the foundation for a newsletter or a nurture email. Add a CTA like "Read what [Publication] said about us." By doing this, you're turning that one-time event into a multi-touch trust amplifier and increasing the odds that a prospect will move from passive observer to active lead. Related: How to Make the Most of Your Public Relations Use press to power your sales team PR doesn't just help at the top of the funnel. It can be a huge asset in the middle and bottom of your sales process — especially in long, complex B2B sales cycles where trust and validation often determine the outcome. Imagine you're a sales rep trying to close a deal. Which message is more compelling? "Let me explain why our platform is best." vs. "Here's a recent article in Industry Weekly that explains how we helped a company like yours improve efficiency by 40%." See the difference? Press coverage gives your sales team third-party validation they can use to reinforce your value, ease skepticism, build urgency and create internal consensus. It's not just for cold outreach; it's also a powerful resource for multi-threading deals and arming your internal champions with proof points. When done right, PR becomes one of your most versatile sales enablement tools. Start measuring what matters Too many PR programs still rely on vague metrics like "impressions" or "ad value equivalency." That's not going to fly with a modern executive team. If you want to prove PR's impact, you need to connect it to business outcomes: How many site visits did you get from PR sources? How many of those visitors converted into leads? Did branded search volume increase after your media campaign? Did sales use the content, and did it help close deals faster? Track the full journey. And if you don't have the tools in place to do that, invest in them. Because what gets measured gets funded. Related: A 5-Step Checklist to Maximize Press Coverage for Your Business If you walk away with one idea, make it this: Your press hit is not the win. It's the door-opener. It's what you do next — how you use that coverage to build trust, generate leads and enable sales — that determines whether PR is a cost center or a growth engine. You've worked hard to get the attention. Don't let it go to waste.
