Dirco confirms all South Africans in Sudan accounted for and evacuated.

By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed on Saturday that all South Africans known to them who were still stuck in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, have been safely evacuated.

Dirco spokesperson, Clayson Monyela says the evacuation was made possible through partnerships with the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers, and assistance from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan.

“Evacuations like this are never easy and face multiple difficulties and frustrations. The South African nationals who were at Port Sudan managed to cross into Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and were received by our consul general and his team who facilitated on-ground support,” Monyela said.

He added that those who were evacuated from Khartoum by bus crossed the border into Egypt.

“The government paid for two buses. The Gift of the Givers [Foundation, which was] not on the ground but coordinated with our officials, paid for an extra bus. The government has booked all into hotels in Egypt.”

The government will pay for their flight tickets as well, he said.

The first group is expected to arrive at O.R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 16:15.

According to Gift of the Givers Foundation chairperson and founder Imtiaz Sooliman, eight South Africans and an American man and his daughter, who is a also a South African, are on their way to a ferry from the Egyptian border.

“We hope they make the ferry tonight (Saturday night) and from there onwards, to Aswan.”

Missiles and heavy weaponry has also damaged the country’s key infrastructure, including access to clean water and the internet. 

Health officials say most hospitals in conflict areas are not functioning, and more than 60% of health facilities in the capital, Khartoum, are inactive.