South African charity says it received videos of Mali hostages from al-Qaida captors

JOHANNESBURG – A South African charity says it received videos of a South African and a Swede who have been held hostage by Islamic extremists in Mali for four years.

Gift of the Givers, a charity trying to broker the release of the hostages, said late Tuesday that the videos of Stephen McGowan and Johan Gustafsson were made on Oct. 20.

In the videos, the men say they are well and have heard a South African organization is making efforts to secure their release.

Gift of the Givers says the men are being held by al-Qaida's branch in North Africa.