The United States said it was “absolutely unaware” that a South African charity had negotiated 56-year-old teacher Pierre Korkie’s release — or even that he was being held at the same compound as American photojournalist Luke Somers.

South Africa’s official opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has urged Pretoria to “engage with American representatives to get to the bottom of the circumstances that led to Mr Korkie’s death”.

“There was clearly a lack of intelligence,” DA lawmaker Stevens Mokgalapa said. “The left hand didn’t know what the right was doing.”

Hours from freedom ... Pierre Korkie was killed the same day he was due to be released, according to a South African charity. Picture: AP Source: AP

Korkie and 33-year-old Somers were shot by al-Qaeda militants on Saturday when the US commandos carrying out the rescue mission were discovered about 100m from the compound.

Korkie and his wife Yolande were abducted in May 2013 in Yemen’s second city of Taiz by members of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Yolande was released in January after protracted negotiations led by South African charity Gift of the Givers.

But Korkie remained captive for another 11 months and his kidnappers demanded a ransom of $US3 million ($3.3 million).

Killed ... Luke Somers was kidnapped over a year ago by al-Qaeda. Picture: AP Source: AP

His ordeal was due to end on Saturday, said Gift of the Givers, claiming they had finally secured Korkie’s release at a reduced “settlement fee” of $US200,000 after months of negotiating.

The US intervention came after Somers’ captors released a video last week threatening to behead him.

“We had indications, very good indications, that they were going to murder Mr Somers perhaps as early as the next day,” a senior US defence official said.

“It was either act now and take the risk, or let that deadline pass. And no one was willing to do that.” the official added.

Failed rescue ... US commandos were discovered about 100 metres from the compound where Luke Somers and Pierre Korkie were being held. Picture: The Australian Source: TheAustralian