Has Dirco left South Africans in the UAE in the dark?

2026-03-03 - 05:33

A South African living and working in Abu Dhabi, who agreed to speak anonymously for fear of jeopardising his work, says the SA government could do more for its nationals caught in the war. This comes after 137 missile and 209 drone strikes from Iran on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday. Life continues despite missile threats The South African, who has been working abroad for nearly three years, said the ministry of defence has announced that the private sector needs to work from home until tomorrow. “Everything currently seems normal, the roads are full, people are walking the streets, we are working, everyone is going on like normal in an abnormal situation. People are watching the windows in case of an emergency, but it was business as usual. We went to the mall yesterday to buy groceries.” “I don’t know if this type of news reaches the world, but the leaders here have decided those trapped at the airports were given free accommodation and food for as long as the airspace was being delayed. “Those who had to fly out but were delayed due to the attack were told to rebook their hotels and send the receipts to the central government to be paid,” he added. ALSO READ: Middle East crisis: What South Africans stranded abroad need to know ‘Cool and scary’ sounds of interception The South African said he loved Abu Dhabi and its leaders. “We didn’t see any missiles, but we heard the jets fly over, and then you hear three booms. When you hear three booms, it’s the Iron Donme missiles which are supersonic, and they lock on something to take it out. It’s cool and scary.” “Sunday was moerse scary. Our phone alerts went off and we saw the news in the morning. Just beneath where I live, the missile went past. It is what it is.” The alert sent to civilians instructed them to seek immediate take shelter in the closest secure building and to stay away from windows, doors and open areas due to a potential missile threat. ALSO READ: Middle East turmoil leads to flight chaos and ‘significant’ financial losses in SA Frustration over lack of communication The South African said the way the UAE dealt with the situation was amazing. “Dirco (department of international relations and cooperation) is talking shit; no-one in the UAE; Dubai or Abu Dhabi has sent anything at all. All the other countries are contacting their people, but we have received no communication from our country. “Not even on the Dirco travel safe app is there a single notification. The embassy is talking the biggest bunch of shit, we just follow the British, US and Abu Dhabi news for updates,” he added. Official response from Pretoria On Sunday, Dirco posted a notification on social media to South African citizens currently based in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Republic of Iraq. “In the event that you find yourself in distress amidst the current situation in the Middle East, please contact the South African embassy or consulate in the country of your residence. “Visit www.dirco.gov.za for the list of contact details for South African missions abroad,” the department said. “The registration is important as it allows the embassy to better assist and support the South African community in Jordan and Iraq. “It is important to note that South Africa’s support in the country is limited and it could be assumed that no face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency, and the South African government may not be able to help if you get into difficulty, depending on your location.” Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela has not yet commented on the latest developments and the current situation. NOW READ: Ramaphosa calls for ‘maximum restraint’ as Middle East crisis worsens