Australian Embassy officials have visited Maxwell Nemadzivhanani, an Australian citizen arrested in South Africa, and said he was in reasonable health, according to Senator Kim Carr (Lab, Vic).
Mr Nemadzivhanani, 36, whose wife and two sons live in Canberra, was arrested last week with two other members of the Pan African Congress and has been held without charge.
Mr Nemadzivhanani was formerly PAC representative in Australia.
Senator Carr called on the South African Government to charge him or release him. He called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to make more strenuous efforts to secure his release.
He said the PAC and the South African Government were to meet on Tuesday about the jailings.