Mandla Mandela and other flotilla detainees have arrived in Jordan, ahead of their deportation.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has confirmed the safe arrival of the protestors detained off the shore of the Gaza Strip last week.
Roughly 460 members of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) were detained last week when their small boats meant to be carrying humanitarian relief were intercepted by Israeli forces.
The flotilla was attempting to breach a naval blockade off the Gazan shore.
South Africans to return home
Six South Africans, including Mandla Mandela, arrived in Jordan this morning, where they were greeted by the nation’s ambassador to Jordan, Tselane Mokuena.
South African officials had been in contact with Middle Eastern counterparts since the activist’s detention, coordinating their passage to safety.
The flotilla detainees and officials will arrive back in South Africa on Wednesday, 8 October, at OR Tambo International at roughly 9.30am.
Israel claimed the SA taxpayer would be footing the bill for the return trip from the Middle East, something the department denied.
“The Department wishes to clarify that the return is being facilitated with the support of families and solidarity groups,” stated Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
Anniversary of 7 October
The bulk of the flotilla departed from western Mediterranean ports in early September, with a live tracker and stream available on the GSF website.
As of Tuesday afternoon, GSF state that nine members of the flotilla were still being held captive, not including Greta Thunberg, who was seen at an airport in Greece on Monday.
The South Africans landed in Jordan on the second anniversary of the 7 October attacks by Hamas on Israeli territory.
In attacking festival-goers and civilian residents, Hamas killed roughly 1 200 Israelis and took roughly 250 hostages.
The attack prompted an Israeli retaliation that has since reduced much of Gaza to rubble and claimed the lives of an estimated 60 000 Palestinians.
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