South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, has confirmed that government authorities are still investigating the mysterious arrival of more than 150 Palestinians who landed at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday. The incident has raised diplomatic and security questions, particularly after the group was left on the tarmac for several hours before being permitted to disembark.
According to government officials, the passengers arrived on a chartered aircraft but did not have departure stamps, return tickets, or information regarding accommodation arrangements. These irregularities prompted immediate scrutiny from immigration and security agencies, who initiated an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding their travel.
Lamola addressed the matter on Monday during a state of readiness briefing at Nasrec ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which Johannesburg is set to host. He emphasised that the government remains deeply concerned about the motivations behind the incident, suggesting that it may be part of a coordinated effort involving multiple regions.
“It is indeed an issue of concern to us. It does look like it represents a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different parts of the world, and it’s a clearly orchestrated operation,” Lamola said.
Only a small portion of the group reportedly travelled onwards to a different destination, while the rest remained under assessment by South African authorities. Lamola stressed that South Africa does not anticipate, nor will it welcome, any similar incidents in the near future.
“We do not want any further flights to come our way because this is a clear agenda to cleanse our Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank, which South Africa is against,” he stated.
The mysterious arrival of the group continues to be reviewed by multiple government departments, and authorities are expected to provide further updates once investigations are complete. The incident comes at a sensitive time, with South Africa maintaining a strong diplomatic stance on Palestinian rights and international humanitarian obligations.
