Johannesburg - A South African man being held hostage in Mali is safe, according to a video posted on YouTube, Beeld newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Stephen Malcolm McGown said in the message on the website that he was healthy and being treated well. He said he was being held by Al Qaeda.
In the footage, McGown and another hostage, Johan Gustafsson, of Sweden, are holding letters dated January 28, with four armed men standing behind them.
The pair was taken hostage with Sjaak Rijke, of the Netherlands, last year.
Beeld said Al Qaeda in North Africa was demanding that Britain releases one of its members to an Arabic country in Africa, instead of to Jordania.
If the demand was not met, Al Qaeda has reportedly said that McGown, who also has British citizenship, would be killed. - Sapa