Gift of the Givers has criticised the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority for the inhumane treatment of 153 Palestinian refugees who were held on a plane at OR Tambo International Airport for 13 hours on Thursday. The humanitarian organisation said the prolonged delay caused distress to children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable passengers.
Chairman and founder Imtiaz Sooliman said the situation was unacceptable and called for an urgent investigation. “For 13 hours, these refugees were kept in a tunnel at the airport. Children were dehydrated, a pregnant woman went into distress, and passengers were denied food. This is a total disgrace and humiliation,” Sooliman said.
He said the delay was caused by rigid adherence to immigration rules by lower-level officials who refused to allow the passengers to disembark without exit stamps from Israel. “We were repeatedly told that passengers could disembark, but the orders were overruled multiple times. This is clearly political interference,” he added.
Gift of the Givers said Israel deliberately did not stamp the passports of the refugees, leaving them unable to meet Home Affairs’ requirements. “These people have suffered for years and were seeking safety. They were treated with total disregard for their basic human needs,” Sooliman said.
He said the intervention of senior government officials eventually resolved the situation. “We are thankful to Minister Ronald Lamola and DIRCO Deputy Director General Zane Dangor, who ensured the refugees were finally allowed to leave the plane. Without their involvement, this humanitarian disaster would have continued,” Sooliman said.
The organisation said it provided food, medical attention, and legal support during the ordeal, but it remained frustrated at how the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority handled the situation. “This could have been avoided. Home Affairs could have waived the exit stamp requirement on humanitarian grounds,” he said.
Social worker Nigel Branken, who was aboard the flight, described conditions on the plane as dire. He said a nine-month pregnant woman was in pain and at risk of giving birth while children cried and sweated in the heat. “Many refugees are traumatised, having lost family members. About 75 percent want to apply for asylum in South Africa, but the system initially blocked them,” Branken said.
Branken said some passengers hoped to reunite with family abroad, including in Canada. “One woman has a daughter and sister in Canada. She has lost 17 family members and wants to be reunited with them. She asked Home Affairs to assist her, but initially, they were denied,” he said.
The Border Management Authority said it was following its mandate in refusing entry without exit stamps. Gift of the Givers argued that this decision ignored the extreme humanitarian needs of the passengers. “Following rules should never come before human lives. This is not just bureaucracy; it is a failure of empathy and compassion,” Sooliman said.
The incident drew strong reactions on social media, with South Africans debating the government’s handling of refugees. Some users criticised the arrival of refugees amid domestic challenges, while others called for South Africa to maintain its reputation as a country that supports people in need.
Gift of the Givers said it would continue providing support to the Palestinian refugees and urged an investigation into the 13-hour delay. “We need accountability. The way these people were treated damages South Africa’s international reputation and shows a lack of respect for human life,” Sooliman said.
South Africa will host the G20 summit in the coming days, and the organisation warned that such incidents could negatively affect the country’s image on the world stage. Gift of the Givers reiterated its commitment to defending vulnerable people and ensuring South Africa’s actions reflect the country’s values of compassion, humanity, and Ubuntu.
The refugees were eventually allowed to disembark and received medical and humanitarian assistance. Gift of the Givers said it would continue monitoring their welfare and providing support to those applying for asylum in South Africa.
