Black Beach cover art

Black Beach

491 Days in One of Africa’s Most Brutal Prisons

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Black Beach

By: Daniel Janse van Rensburg, Tracey Pharoah
Narrated by: Jason Morgan, Danny Painter
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About this listen

Black Beach, located on Bioko island off the mainland of Equatorial Guinea, is one of the world’s most feared prisons, notorious for its brutality and inhumane conditions.

In 2013, South African businessman Daniel Janse van Rensburg set off to the West African country to finalise a legitimate airline contract with a local politician. Within days, Daniel was arrested by the local Rapid Intervention Force and detained without trial in the island’s infamous ‘Guantanamo’ cells, and was later taken to Black Beach. This is his remarkable story of survival over nearly two years, made possible by his unwavering faith and the humanity of a few fellow inmates.

In this thrilling first-person narrative, Daniel relives his ordeal, describing the harrowing conditions in the prison, his extraordinary experiences there, and his ceaseless hope to return to South Africa and be reunited with his family. A story of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity, Black Beach demonstrates the strength of the human spirit and the toll injustice takes on ordinary people who fall foul of the powerful and corrupt.

©2022 Penguin Random House South Africa (P)2022 Penguin Random House South Africa Social Sciences True Crime Africa Crime Exciting Africa Nonfiction
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Hard to comprehend the trauma Daniel went through being incarcerated in Black Beach under one of the most vile and corrupt African regimes for absolutely no logical reason.

Amazing story

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A gripping story. Listened to 15 minute snatches wherever or whenever I could. Praying for the good guy to overcome Evil. What a nightmare. Caught myself yelling at him to run away when he could. Most enjoyable book. Highly recommended

Black Beach a gripping tale

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I really hope these countries can rid these "leaders" Africa has so many natural resources, yet all it makes is greed, violence, and depravity. Such a sad story, makes you look a humanity and think, why? just why?

Good but harrowing prison story.

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