A group of journalists, who were stranded on a South African Airways flight at the Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland, have reportedly been given clearance to disembark, after almost 24 hours at the Polish Airport.
The journalists are with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s security team, as an African delegation visits Ukraine on a peace mission.
Earlier, we reported that the journalists were denied entry into Poland when authorities say they cannot allow them with weapons and ammunition meant to protect the president on his mission to Kyiv. But their flight has now been cleared to proceed.
[JUST-IN] General Whally Rhoode the head of Presidential Protection unit says the South African government is being sabotaged by the polish government on the #RoadToPeace Mission between Russia and Ukraine. “They want to put the security of our President at risk” #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/YKK0bXW3op
— #LordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) June 15, 2023
President Ramaphosa and his Senegalese counterpart, Macky Sall, are heading the delegation to Kyiv today and St. Petersburg tomorrow.
Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says, “We acknowledge the regrettable nature of that incident. Our officials are engaging with their Polish counterparts so that the PPS team and the media can proceed with their journey as planned, as well as be able to cover the Russian leg of the peace talks. We are deeply disturbed by the experience they have gone through.”
READ | Head of the Presidential Protection Services, Major General Wally Rhoode, has expressed frustration over delays experienced by a contingent of specialised police officers and journalists who were not allowed to disembark at the Warsaw Chopin Airport https://t.co/nIrRdEdXxM pic.twitter.com/AHZ3yVfOYT
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) June 16, 2023
The journalists and almost 100 SAPS and SANDF members will now proceed to Rauzeow for the second leg of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Ukraine and Russia.
President Ramaphosa will land in Razeouw later this evening and is expected in St Petersburg Saturday morning. He will meet with his Russian counterpart throughout the day and only depart for SA on Sunday.
President Ramaphosa is part of the African team visiting Russia and Ukraine to broker peace and facilitate an end to the conflict.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky later this afternoon and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday.
[WATCH] President @CyrilRamaphosa has arrived at Nemishaeve Railway Station in Ukraine and is received by Ukraine’s Special Envoy for Africa and the Middle East Ambassador Maksym Subhk and South African Ambassador to Ukraine Andre Groenewald.#AfricanPeaceMission pic.twitter.com/lX1yGsfpjz
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) June 16, 2023
