Journalists and President Cyril Ramaposa’s Security Back in SA After Over 24 Hours Stranded at Polish Airport

• The diplomatic standoff at Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland has finally ended, with SA journalists and security personnel returning home
• The delegation of 120 South African citizens was held at the Polish airport amid a dispute over irregular permits for weapons aboard the aircraft
• President Cyril Ramaphosa's head of security, Major General Wally Rhoode, accused the Polish government of racism during the ordeal

PRETORIA - 120 South African journalists and security personnel have landed back in SA after a gruelling standoff at a Polish airport.

The group arrived at the Waterkloof Airforce Base in Pretoria on Sunday evening, 18 June, SABC News reported.

120 journalists and security personnel miss Cyril Ramaphosa's peace mission to Ukraine and Russia

The delegation consisting of 11 local journalists and more than 90 South African Police Service and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) officials, was meant to accompany President Cyril Ramaphosa on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia.

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However, the group missed the trip after being stranded at the Warsaw Chopin Airport for over 24 hours because Polish authorities would not let them disembark the plane.

Chief among the reasons the journalists and security personnel were held for so long was because Poland claimed the plane was transporting weapons without the necessary permits.

Ramaphosa's security head accuses Polish government of racism

President Ramaphosa's head of security, Major General Wally Rhoode, accused the Polish government the jeopardising the president's safety and racism amid the diplomatic dispute at the airport.

The Polish government has wholeheartedly dismissed the allegations of racism, with the Polish Director of the National Security Department and Minster-Special Services Coordinator Stanislaw Zaryn rubbishing them as nonsense, BBC reported.

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The Warsaw Chopin Airport spokesperson Piotr Ridzki added:

"We cannot let passengers with illegal firearms into the EU."

South Africans debate SA journalist's and security personnel's ordeal at Polish airport

Below are some comments:

@Acolitus said::

"South Africa got a taste of how real security works."

@ladistardust commented:

"You can’t just waltz into another country fully armed. Imagine a Polish delegation arriving in SA armed to the teeth!"

@thamirams criticised:

"When they come here, we treat them like royalty."

@diggiebongz claimed:

"They don't want y'all to really see what's going on in Ukraine. They fear you might actually report the truth to the world."

@MzilikaziDon complained:

"No one respects us anymore."

@MASTA_KING added:

"Let's see if these journalists will still attack the SA government for its neutrality in the war when they finally come back."

Ramaphosa concludes Africa’s peace mission with no deal between Russia and Ukraine, briefs SA with video

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Ramaphosa top cop cries "sabotage" as presidential security staff remains stuck in Poland, social media amused

In a related story, Briefly News reported President Cyril Ramaphosa returned home after an eventful two-day trip to Russia and Ukraine.

According to EWN, the warring nations have not budged on their stance after the group of African leaders tried to negotiate peace between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ramaphosa said the peace negotiations were impactful because at least the combatant countries were willing to hear their proposals for ending the war.

Source: Briefly News