Cape Town - South Africans who missed the rescue bus and were left behind in war-stricken Sudan were evacuated on Tuesday.
Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said the evacuation of 77 South Africans was a roller-coaster of fear, anxiety, terror, uncertainty, panic and sadness.
“Thus far we are aware of six South Africans who made it to Port Sudan, three to Djibouti, two who have opted not to leave, one near a mine somewhere still deciding what to do, and we think some are in South Sudan.
“Gift of the Givers has arranged a third bus for the four South Africans left behind. It will depart also around 12 noon today (Tuesday),” he said.
Sooliman said the challenges on the ground were numerous, including inaccessibility, collapsing networks, no airtime, electricity cut off, fuel shortage, no money, a lack of food and water, and the emotional and psychological trauma of a war.
He added that they were optimistic that everyone would cross the border safely.
“Please remember them in your prayers. This has been a great exercise of government and civil society working side by side in the interest of South Africans outside the country. We need to apply that model inside the country,” he said.
Clayson Monyela, head of public diplomacy at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco), said the government was able to “hatch out a plan” to evacuate South Africans who had been stranded, but he was not in a position to divulge any more information.
“It’s pretty dangerous and delicate, and remains risky. Some convoys and some countries that were trying to evacuate their people came under attack.
“Khartoum is effectively a no-fly zone as we speak. It’s impossible to do an evacuation via the air.
“From the list of verified South African nationals who were in Sudan, everybody is accounted for in terms of the list that we have.
The team on the ground called every single person that they had on their database to ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.
DA spokesperson for International Relations and Co-operation Emma Powell urged parties to the conflict to lay down their weapons and return to the negotiating table.
“We also call on Dirco to step up and play its role in enacting South Africa’s own foreign policy to establish order, and foster the democratic processes necessary to elect and establish a stable government for the people of Sudan,” said Powell.
A vicious power struggle between the country’s army and a strong paramilitary force has led to violence across Sudan for more than a week following a breakdown in negotiations on political and security sector reforms.
Several countries, including South Africa, have closed their embassies in Khartoum.
Cape Times