SA govt says Simon Mann's claims are laughable

SA has rejected claims that it backed a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea

Government has rejected claims by jailed British mercenary Simon Mann, that it backed his plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. Mann is in prison in the West African state, where he is awaiting trial after being extradited from Zimbabwe earlier this year.

In an interview with Britain's Channel 4, he admitted that he was involved as the mastermind of the 2004 coup plot, but says someone else was the architect. He claimed that he had indications that the South African and Spanish governments wanted him to go ahead with the plot.

But Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, says Mann's claims are laughable.