APA-Pretoria (South Africa) Some 51 South Africans evacuated from war-torn Sudan arrived at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday to an emotional welcome from relatives and International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor.
“We are really happy that you’re back home,” Pandor told the returnees at the airport.
Apart from the 51 citizens, there was a Lesotho national and a Zimbabwean national on board the same flight – bringing the number of those evacuated from Sudan to 53 people.
Another 10 South Africans arrived on Saturday – making it a total of 61 national to be rescued from the Sudan.
“We thought that it is important that the people of South Africa see that all our nationals that had indicated that they wish to return home are back home,” Pandor said.
She added: “We’re absolutely happy that you are able to return home safely.”
It took a three-day shaky ceasefire to enable the stranded South Africans to find their way to the Egyptian border in the north of Sudan.
The returnees are feeling a two-week-long conflict between Sudan’s regular army and its paramilitary wing over control of the northeast African country.
NM/jn/APA