South Africans who are stranded middle east As the joint US-Israeli military attack on Iran continues, there are calls for immediate intervention from the government. The strikes have forced many Airlines Stopped their flights, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers helpless.
Look The South African Muslim Council has condemned the recent attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. He called for immediate, continued diplomatic engagement to resolve misunderstandings and mistrust between the countries involved. pic.twitter.com/9TxhWDf9Yd
– SABC News (@SABCNews) 1 March 2026
One of those seeking a safe return home is Dr Naseeba Kathrada, who is traveling with her sister. In a letter, she is appealing to the South African government and organizations for evacuation assistance.
“My name is Dr. Naseeba Kathrada. I am in Mecca at the moment with my sister. We were going back home. We booked on Qatar Airways from Medina to Doha and Doha to Cape Town. When the unrest broke out in the Middle East, all the flats away from Qatar were cancelled. There are a lot of South Africans we have booked here in Medina or even booked through other airlines. Now what would really help is if someone from our country Maybe if we can catch the South Africans go home together and on the same flight. Maybe make a special flight for those who are here, because right now we are checking out other airlines, the long layover is in Ethiopia or Cairo, but everyone wants to fly out and use a non-Arabian airline.
South Africans stranded in the Middle East and the Gulf will have to wait for airspace across the region to open to return home. https://t.co/IQWLnmrHMD pic.twitter.com/t94P2IXtyQ
– SABC News (@SABCNews) 1 March 2026
Meanwhile, another concerned South African who has been living in the Middle East for more than a decade is Halima Patel. She says people are in the dark and have no certainty whether help will ever arrive.
“In a situation like this, embassies are sending messages and advice to their people in all kinds of communications. We have not heard anything from the South African Embassy. So people are naturally scared of what will happen. Why are they not being proactive? Why are you not liaising with us? We are South Africans. We expect our ambassadors to be present. To the extent that now South Africans in Dubai are being asked to register with the British Embassy because they are being so proactive, they “The opposition and people are now leaning more towards the British Embassy because that's where they are getting information,” Pate said.
emergency number for #South African🇿🇦 Citizens of the Middle East. Those who have registered with our embassies have been contacted directly (for the record… even before the attacks. We advised people in our database to evacuate). Share these numbers and help us reach…
– Clayson Monyela (@ClaysonMonyela) 1 March 2026
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