JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- South Africa's Justice Ministry has given permission to the Equatorial Guinean authorities to question Mark Thatcher on his alleged role in a coup plot to overthrow the government of the oil-rich country, local media reported on Monday.

    The greenlight was given during a meeting Monday between the representatives of the Equatorial Guinea attorney general's office and South Africa's Director General of Justice Vusi Pikoli and Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Silas Ramaite, reported the South African Press Association (SAPA).

    "Today we approved the request by Equatorial Guinea to get evidence from Mark Thatcher," the ministry spokesman Kaizer Kganyago was quoted as saying.

    Thatcher, 51, the millionaire son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested in his Cape Town home on Aug. 25 in connection with an alleged plot in March involving mercenaries to oust Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang.

    The prosecutors of Equatorial Guinea were told that the requesthad been approved and the procedure under the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Act was explained, SAPA said.

    The request was for "gathering evidence" and was not limited toquestions only. Questions the Equatorial Guinean attorney general wants Thatcher to answer have been submitted already.

    Under the legislation, the chief magistrate of Cape Town will be informed of the approval and Thatcher would then be subpoenaed for questioning by a magistrate.

    Kganyago said that at this stage there was no discussion of extradition.

    Or this to happen, charges had to be laid in Equatorial Guinea and this had not yet happened, he said.

    Thatcher faces two charges in South Africa -- contravention of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act and conspiracy to contravene the act -- for allegedly financing the coup attempt to the extent of 275,000 US dollars.

    The case was postponed to Nov. 25 for further investigation. Enditem