South Africa Welcomes 130 Palestinians After NGO Intervention at OR Tambo

“South Africa Opens Its Arms”: NGOs Step In as 130 Palestinians Enter the Country Under Humanitarian Care

Gift of the Givers leads relief efforts after a group of Palestinians were initially denied entry at OR Tambo International Airport.

South Africa has once again found itself at the emotional crossroads of global conflict and local compassion. On Thursday morning, a chartered flight touched down at OR Tambo International Airport carrying 153 Palestinianstravellers fleeing a war that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives in Gaza. What followed was a tense, deeply human moment that ultimately revealed the country’s instinct to help.

Confusion at Passport Control

According to the Border Management Authority (BMA), the travellers arrived just after 8am on a Lift Global Airways flight from Kenya. Immigration officers immediately picked up several red flags:

• The group could not provide addresses for where they planned to stay;

• They didn’t indicate how long they intended to remain in South Africa;

• And unusually, none of them had departure stamps in their passports.

Under normal circumstances, this is an automatic entry fail. And that’s exactly what happened.
The 153 passengers were initially denied entrynot because of who they were, but because they didn’t meet the immigration criteria.

A Humanitarian Appeal Changes Everything

Then came a lifeline.

Gift of the Givers, South Africa’s largest disaster-response NGO and a long-time supporter of Palestinian humanitarian efforts, urgently contacted the Ministry of Home Affairs. They confirmed that theyand partnering civil society organisationswould take full responsibility for the group’s accommodation and welfare.

It was only after this intervention, and after diplomatic correspondence was verified, that the travellers were finally admitted.

By that time, 23 of the original 153 had already moved on to other destinations, leaving 130 Palestinians to be processed into the country, all placed under the care of Gift of the Givers.

South Africa’s Visa Rules Still Apply

Despite the initial confusion, the BMA emphasised that nothing about the process was irregular.

Palestinians qualify for a 90-day visa-exempt stay in South Africa. Once Gift of the Givers confirmed responsibility and the paperwork aligned with regulations, the remaining travellers were processed “as per normal,” the BMA said.
They will still need to comply with all standard entry conditions.

The authority stressed that it will continue enforcing the country’s legal and regulatory frameworkimportant messaging at a time when immigration is a sensitive public issue.

Gift of the Givers: “This Could Have Been Handled Humanely from the Start”

In a measured but pointed response, Gift of the Givers acknowledged the BMA’s legal obligations but subtly criticised the lack of flexibility shown in a humanitarian situation.

“The BMA acted in accordance with its mandate,” the organisation said, “but this could have been waived on humanitarian grounds from the start.”

They thanked Minister Ronald Lamola and Dirco DG Zane Dangor for stepping in swiftly, calling the final decision “a gesture of humanity” at a time when Palestinians across the world find themselves displaced, distressed, and desperate.

A War Still Rages in Gaza

For contextthese travellers are arriving from a conflict that has dominated international headlines since Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Israel’s retaliation has resulted in catastrophic loss of life in Gaza, with more than 60,000 people reportedly killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.

South Africa has taken an unmistakably pro-Palestinian stance in global forums, from the ICJ to diplomatic statements. So Thursday’s developments, while bureaucratically complicated, are consistent with the country’s political and humanitarian posture.

Public Reaction: Compassion Overshadows Controversy

On social media, South Africans expressed a mix of relief, sadness, and pride:

• “We always show up for Palestine. Thank you Gift of the Givers,” one user wrote.

• “Admin issues aside, people fleeing bombs need help first,” another posted.

• A few critics argued that immigration rules must always be enforced, but the overwhelming tone leaned toward empathy.

Community groups and religious organisations have also offered support, with some mosques already coordinating food drives and temporary accommodation.

A Moment of Humanity in a Complicated World

The entry of the 130 Palestinians doesn’t change the war they fled, nor does it soften the geopolitical storm surrounding the conflict. But it does spotlight something deeply South African: a willingness to show compassion even when the red tape gets in the way.

For now, these travellers have a place to rest, thanks to NGOs who stepped in where bureaucracy hesitatedand a government that ultimately agreed compassion had to prevail.

{Source: The Citizen}

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