Zim GBC News | South African Correspondent
JOHANNESBURG – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced an investigation will be launched following the controversial and “mysterious” arrival of a chartered flight carrying 153 Palestinian passengers from Gaza, which sparked a major diplomatic and administrative incident.
The aircraft, which originated from Kenya, landed at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport on Thursday morning. However, South African authorities refused to allow the passengers to disembark for approximately 12 hours, citing serious documentation irregularities.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) revealed that the passengers’ passports lacked the necessary exit stamps from Israel and that they had failed to provide local addresses or specify their intended length of stay.
In a statement, police officials noted,
“The passengers did not have the customary departure stamps in their passports. Critically, none had expressed an intention to apply for asylum upon arrival.”
The situation was only resolved after the Ministry of Home Affairs intervened. A spokesperson for the ministry stated,
“Following a thorough assessment of the situation, a directive was given to allow the passengers to enter the country on humanitarian grounds.”
The group was subsequently provided with accommodation by the South African humanitarian organization, Gift of the Givers. Their founder, Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, confirmed the arrangement, saying,
“We have stepped in to offer these individuals, who are fleeing a war zone, a place of safety and basic necessities. They are traumatized and in need of support.”
According to reports from Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the passengers were Palestinians escaping the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The incident has drawn significant criticism towards the South African government, which has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, with many questioning the initial handling of the situation.
President Ramaphosa’s office has since confirmed that the circumstances surrounding the flight’s arrival will be fully investigated.
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