Durban – Gift of the Givers says it worked with the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco), Intelligence Services, State Security Agency personnel and South Africans on the ground to secure two buses on which 38 South Africans (including all the diplomatic staff) and seven Angolans departed from Khartoum to Egypt at 12h10 on Monday.
Explaining how the evacuation took place, Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said that the buses were paid for by the South African government.
“They stopped late in the evening for meals and drinks, and around midnight parked off not far from the Egypt border to rest. At 5am, they made their way to the border. People had mixed emotions leaving their homes, place of work, friends and colleagues as they watched how a country rapidly self-destructs.”
Sooliman added that two pet Scottish terriers were not able to make the trip.
“The sadness was evident in their eyes when they saw the luggage but were not included on the trip. This was very emotional for the owner. Just after midnight on Sunday the network collapsed completely and by the time the buses were en route to Cairo it was discovered that four South Africans did not make it to the pick-up point.”
He said Gift of the Givers had arranged a third bus for the four South Africans left behind and added that the two dogs would be included.
“It was only by the Grace of the Almighty that the bus was confirmed without a cash payment upfront. On the word of our Middle East representative, who lives in Türkiye but spent many years in Sudan, the owner of Good Transporter agreed to send the bus and till now has not sent bank details for payment.”
He added that there has been intense behind-the-scenes diplomatic engagements with various governments, “Including the US Consul General late last night for citizens to enter various countries unhindered as many don't have passports or entry visas”.
He said there were various challenges in evacuating the South Africans.
“The challenges on the ground were numerous including inaccessibility, collapsing networks, no airtime, electricity cut off, fuel shortage, no money, lack of food and water and then the emotional and psychological trauma of all-out war as South Africans tried to move across barriers and front lines to ‘safer’ zones, some witnessing over 70 bodies in the street, destroyed buildings and infrastructure, watching young people being shot and simply calling it Armageddon.”