'We don't want any further flights': South Africa halts charter flights bringing Palestinians
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola
Image: G20 South Africa/ X
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola says South Africa will not allow any more charter flights carrying Palestinians to enter the country, following the recent arrival of several planes transporting families from Gaza.
Independent Media has reported that the arrival of the Palestinian families has been linked to possible human trafficking, after it emerged that the organisation behind the departures was unregistered and allegedly facilitated the travel irregularly and irresponsibly.
Last Thursday, a group of 153 Palestinians arrived in South Africa on a chartered flight from Kenya. They sought asylum in the country but were initially denied entry at OR Tambo International Airport due to a lack of proper documentation, including Israeli exit stamps, return tickets and accommodation details.
The group spent nearly 12 hours at the airport before being granted entry under South Africa’s standard 90-day visa exemption. Authorities said they were admitted on humanitarian grounds following the intervention of local aid organisations.
Giving an update on the matter in Johannesburg, Lamola confirmed that a government investigation is under way, and South Africa will not be accepting additional charter planes bringing Palestinians.
Organisations say Palestinian families who arrived in South Africa last week could have been trafficked.
Image: Facebook/Embassy of the State of Palestine / South Africa
“The Palestinian plane — as to whether there is some shady work and so forth — indeed, we are suspicious as the South African government about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the plane and the passengers that were in it,” Lamola said.
“This matter is under investigation, and the South African public will know the outcome in due course. It is indeed an issue of concern to us. It does look like it represents a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different parts of the world.
“It’s a clearly orchestrated operation because they are not only being sent to South Africa — there are other countries where such flights have been sent. We do not want any further flights to come our way because this appears to be a clear agenda to cleanse Palestinians out of Gaza, the West Bank and other areas — which South Africa strongly opposes.”
IOL has reported that the South African government and intelligence services have launched a joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the 153 travellers last week. Authorities are probing whether the movement was orchestrated by a shadowy organisation known as Al-Majd Europe, which allegedly coordinated the travel arrangements.
It is believed that the operation could form part of a wider campaign of “forced migration” involving the movement of vulnerable Palestinians to various international destinations.
The latest arrival has also shone a spotlight on what some officials and aid workers describe as an emerging pipeline transporting Palestinians from Gaza through third countries.
Charter operator Global Airways confirmed to IOL that this was not the first such flight, saying it had previously operated a charter from Nairobi to Johannesburg on October 28, 2025. That earlier flight also carried Palestinian passengers, who were reportedly allowed to enter South Africa “unhindered” under the same 90-day visa exemption.
South Africa has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice over alleged violations in Gaza. The government’s decision to investigate the latest arrivals reflects growing concern that the chartered flights may be part of a broader attempt to displace Palestinians under the guise of humanitarian evacuation.
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