South African Nationals Stranded in Middle East Amid Tensions

(MENAFN) South African nationals stranded across the Middle East face an indefinite wait to return home after sweeping airspace closures rendered evacuation efforts impossible, a senior government official warned Sunday.

Clayson Monyela, deputy director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), spelled out the severity of the situation in blunt terms.

"It is impossible to move in or out of those countries. We are in touch with South Africans using various communication platforms," Monyela said, adding in a statement posted on X that "various interventions and options are being explored."

The crisis was triggered Saturday morning when the United States and Israel launched intensive airstrikes against Iran, setting off a wave of airspace restrictions across the region. The fallout has been immediate and sweeping — thousands of flights cancelled and dozens of international and regional airlines forced to suspend operations entirely.

At least eight nations, including Israel, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and Bahrain, have imposed either full or partial airspace closures, severing one of the world's busiest aviation corridors.

DIRCO confirmed that South African citizens currently in the affected region have no option but to wait until airspace or land border access is restored. Monyela told local media that the government is actively monitoring developments, prepared to act the moment conditions permit safe passage.

In the meantime, DIRCO issued an urgent advisory on X, calling on all South African nationals in the region to contact their nearest embassy without delay — urging them to formally register their presence so that diplomatic missions can account for their whereabouts and coordinate assistance when a window to act emerges.

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