• About us
  • Donate
  • WADR
  • Contact us
  • Live Stream
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Loud Silence News
Advertisement
  • Ghana News
    • General News
    • Business
    • Education
    • Opinion
  • US News
    • Business
    • Health
    • Human Interest Stories
    • Politics
    • Education
  • Africa News
    • Business
    • Education
    • Health
    • Politics
  • ShowBiz
    • Ghana ShowBiz
    • US Showbiz
    • African ShowBiz
    • World Showbiz
  • Editorials
    • People
  • World News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Education
    • Health
  • Sports
    • Ghana Sports
    • World Sports
  • WADR
No Result
View All Result
  • Ghana News
    • General News
    • Business
    • Education
    • Opinion
  • US News
    • Business
    • Health
    • Human Interest Stories
    • Politics
    • Education
  • Africa News
    • Business
    • Education
    • Health
    • Politics
  • ShowBiz
    • Ghana ShowBiz
    • US Showbiz
    • African ShowBiz
    • World Showbiz
  • Editorials
    • People
  • World News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Education
    • Health
  • Sports
    • Ghana Sports
    • World Sports
  • WADR
No Result
View All Result
Loud Silence News
No Result
View All Result
Home African News

WATCH | About 200 repatriated South Africans stranded at OR Tambo airport without food and water

Loud Silence Staff by Loud Silence Staff
May 4, 2020
in African News
0
WATCH | About 200 repatriated South Africans stranded at OR Tambo airport without food and water
19
SHARES
104
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsApp

[ad_1]

About 200 people who took a flight from Washington DC in the US last night, and arrived at OR Tambo International this afternoon, are stuck on the airport’s tarmac with nowhere to go.

The group of South Africans arrived in the country on Monday, as part of a coronavirus repatriation process, but now have no clarity on what to do next.

According to some of the individuals, who have reached out to News24, the passengers landed before 17:00 and have been kept in minibuses on the tarmac with their belongings, with no idea on where they will be taken in order to carry out their 14 days of quarantine.

ALSO READ | 275 South Africans repatriated from US, hundreds more to arrive this week

Among them was multiple South African surfing champion Jordy Smith and his wife.

The champ had been training for the forthcoming global surf tour, in Hawaii, when the global Covid-19 pandemic struck. He told News24 about how the journey had begun chaotically in Washington.

“There was no confirmation about getting on to the actual flight. The department and the SAA didn’t actually issue tickets – so no one knew who was on the plane and who wasn’t.”

With no ticket – there would be no flight, even if people had paid for tickets. They waited for around 10 hours, while this confusion and anxiety reigned. Smith said he and his wife, Lyndall, sighed with relief when informed they were on the flight, just 20 minutes before boarding.

“I felt extremely sorry for some people who got left behind,” he said. 

“On the plane, they were serving us in hazmat suits. The first 3-4 rows were empty.”

This made the couple doubly sad for those left behind.

“That was pretty bad, I thought,” said Smith.

They eventually arrived in Johannesburg, at around 16:35 – at OR Tambo International Airport.

“We were taken off the aeroplane – everyone got tested while on the plane, checked out temperatures, etc.”

Their luggage was loaded into kombis – only 10 passengers per 20-seater vehicle.

OR Tambo International
(Katie Martin, Supplied)

All passengers were required to sign acknowledgement that they would be quarantined for 14 days – before leaving the US.

“We were told we were going to a government facility to be put into quarantine for 14 days. And now we’ve been sitting on the tarmac for about five hours now.” 

“We’re safe, but it’s freezing,” the surf champ said shortly before 21h30.

“We have been sitting on the ground here for plus minus five hours and it’s freezing cold. There are about 270 South Africans all just standing around with nowhere to go,” he said.

Smith said officials on the ground seemed to be clueless about what was happening and the passengers were informed to hang tight while the matter was resolved. 

“It’s frustrating not having any correspondence with anyone. At the moment everyone is sitting in limbo…”

OR Tambo International
(Katie Martin, Supplied)

Another South African on the flight, Matthew Kalil, told News24: “It’s turning into a mini-party, as it would with South Africans!

“We’ve moved through the phase of being gatvol. It’s cold, no food, no water – it’s really not the best place to be. 

You might also like

Veteran Actor Mr. Ibu’s leg amputated, family says

Kenyan Fake lawyer, Brian Mwenda who won all 26 cases handled gets support to study law abroad

Davido and Chioma’s 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi dead

“There’s no one from the government here, no one from the department of health. 

“No one really knows what’s going on … just a whole lot of us wandering around on the tarmac, like lost farts,” Kalil said. 

He felt for an elderly woman – who just wanted “a warm meal and a warm space”, after the exhausting ordeal. 

Kalil, who wanted to return home to Cape Town, told News24 that the group was set to be housed at a hotel for quarantine.

He said, however, that the group found out only after landing that there was an issue with an agreement between the government and the hotel, meaning the group had nowhere to go. 

“People are trying to remain in good spirits,” he said, “but I don’t know how long this will last. We’ve been here since 17:00 and all I really want is some rest and some food.”

He said while they were allowed to enter the airport terminal, airport staff had allowed the group to use toilet facilities.

OR Tambo International
(Katie Martin, Supplied)

Kalil said he was also concerned about where the group would be taken, after hearing reports of unsatisfactory housing arrangements made for those in quarantine.

At around 22:10, the passengers were asked to return to their vehicles, and began leaving the airport, but had not been told where they were headed.

When contacted for comment, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation referred News24 to the Department of Public Works. 

Minister of Public Works Patricia de Lille’s spokesperson Zara Nicholson told News24 the department was aware of the situation at the airport, but there were reasons for it.

Nicholson said they were receiving conflicting reports that some passengers who had landed have been transported, but others were still at the tarmac.

“The problem is that we keep getting notified on the day that people are arriving and that’s against the agreement supposed to be in place from a national joint committee, which is that Public Works must get 72 hours notice, so that we can procure and allocate sites properly,” she said.

She added that the procurement process was difficult to conduct if the department was not given enough time.

“It happened yesterday (Sunday) and it happened again today (Monday), where we get told at 22:00 that people are landing. Sometimes it’s like an hour’s notice, so we need to follow and allocate sites within our processes, but we can’t do that if we are told on the day. We are aware (of the situation),” Nicholson said.



[ad_2]

This content first appear on news24

Tags: lockdownor tambo international
Previous Post

Shake Shack is seeing ‘significant’ increases in beef prices

Next Post

Coronavirus: US to borrow record $3tn as spending soars

Loud Silence Staff

Loud Silence Staff

Related Posts

Veteran Actor Mr. Ibu’s leg amputated, family says
African News

Veteran Actor Mr. Ibu’s leg amputated, family says

by News Reporter
November 7, 2023
Kenyan Fake lawyer, Brian Mwenda who won all 26 cases handled gets support to study law abroad
African News

Kenyan Fake lawyer, Brian Mwenda who won all 26 cases handled gets support to study law abroad

by News Reporter
October 17, 2023
Davido and Chioma’s 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi dead
African News

Davido and Chioma’s 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi dead

by News Reporter
November 1, 2022
Burkina Faso army captain announces overthrow of military government
African News

Burkina Faso army captain announces overthrow of military government

by News Reporter
September 30, 2022
William Ruto wins presidential poll in Kenya
African News

William Ruto wins presidential poll in Kenya

by News Reporter
August 15, 2022
Next Post
Coronavirus: US to borrow record $3tn as spending soars

Coronavirus: US to borrow record $3tn as spending soars

Recommended

Penguin Meets Up With Orangutan During Excursion In Empty San Diego Zoo

Penguin Meets Up With Orangutan During Excursion In Empty San Diego Zoo

May 1, 2020
CIA warned employees against Trump’s wonder drug

CIA warned employees against Trump’s wonder drug

April 14, 2020

Categories

  • African Business
  • African Education
  • African Health
  • African News
  • African Politics
  • African ShowBiz
  • Education
  • Ghana Business
  • Ghana News
  • Ghana ShowBiz
  • Ghana Sports
  • Human Interest Stories
  • News
  • Opinion
  • People
  • ShowBiz
  • Social Trends
  • US Business
  • US Education
  • US Health
  • US News
  • US Politics
  • US Showbiz
  • WADR
  • World Business
  • World News
  • World Politics
  • World Showbiz
  • World Sports

Don't miss it

President Mahama Unveils 24-Hour Economy Plan, Set to roll out in July
Ghana News

President Mahama Unveils 24-Hour Economy Plan, Set to roll out in July

May 28, 2025
Unmasking the Propaganda Machine: The Coordinated Smear Campaign Against Dr. Anne Sansa Daly
Ghana News

Ghana’s Medical and Dental Council Clarifies Stance on Dr. Anne Sansa Daly’s Certification

May 26, 2025
Nii Armah Amarteifio Apologizes to Dr. Daly
Ghana News

Nii Armah Amarteifio Apologizes to Dr. Daly

May 24, 2025
Unmasking the Propaganda Machine: The Coordinated Smear Campaign Against Dr. Anne Sansa Daly
Ghana News

Unmasking the Propaganda Machine: The Coordinated Smear Campaign Against Dr. Anne Sansa Daly

May 23, 2025
Legal Notice: Demand for Retraction of Defamatory Publication
Ghana News

Legal Notice: Demand for Retraction of Defamatory Publication

May 23, 2025
Legal Notice: Demand for Retraction of Defamatory Publication
Ghana News

Legal Notice: Demand for Retraction of Defamatory Publication

May 23, 2025

About Us

LOGO

Loud Silence Radio & TV Network and is a multi media production company focusing on Ghanaian and African news.

Contact

  • Alexandria, Virginia, USA
  • +1 212-602-9641
  • loudsilenceradio@gmail.com
Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

Download App

google play store

© 2021 Loud Silence Media. All rights reserved.

  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Donate
  • Live Stream
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
Menu
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Donate
  • Live Stream
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
No Result
View All Result
  • Ghana News
    • General News
    • Business
    • Education
    • Opinion
  • US News
    • Business
    • Health
    • Human Interest Stories
    • Politics
    • Education
  • Africa News
    • Business
    • Education
    • Health
    • Politics
  • ShowBiz
    • Ghana ShowBiz
    • US Showbiz
    • African ShowBiz
    • World Showbiz
  • Editorials
    • People
  • World News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Education
    • Health
  • Sports
    • Ghana Sports
    • World Sports
  • WADR
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.