South Africans Urged to Use 'Limited' Flights to Flee Middle East As Conflict Escalates

Andrej Lišakov/Unsplash
Passport, travel
4 March 2026
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Victoria O'regan and Peter Fabricius

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has urgently advised more than 6,400 citizens in the Middle East to evacuate via limited commercial flights as attacks and regional instability escalate.

South Africa has urged its citizens in the Middle East to "take immediate advantage" of the resumption of limited commercial flights out of the region amid the ongoing military action.

In a statement on Wednesday, 4 March, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said it had noted a significant increase in registrations on its Travel Smart system, with more than 6,400 South African citizens in the Middle East registering their presence as of 4 March.

Read more 'It's about law, not politics' -- SA's Dirco boss on US-Israeli strikes and Iran's retaliation March 3, 2026 "South African citizens currently in the region for non-essential travel who wish to evacuate cities and countries affected by the ongoing interstate conflict in the Middle East are strongly advised to use the official channels listed below. This proactive measure is essential to prepare for an exit from the danger zones as soon as it is safe to secure passage.

"We urge all citizens to note that several airlines have resumed limited commercial flights out of the region. Citizens are strongly encouraged to take immediate advantage of this opportunity to leave, as heavy attacks are regrettably expected to continue in...

Read the full story on Daily Maverick.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2026 Daily Maverick. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.