THE memories came flooding back when he heard Gerco van Deventer had returned home to his family after being held captive by Al Qaeda in Mali.
Like Gerco, Stephen McGown was also kidnapped by the militant group and held for six years.
Stephen became the longest-held Al Qaeda hostage in the world after he and two European tourists, Swede Johan Gustafsson and Dutchman Sjaak Rijke, were kidnapped on 25 November 2011.
He knew what it was like to taste freedom after so many years in captivity and needed to get in touch with Gerco.
“I drove to Swellendam over the Christmas period and messaged Gerco.
I went to visit him and his
