The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has now validated prior reports that South Africans and other Africans were treated badly while attempting to flee the Ukraine conflict.
After being denied passage to trains departing Ukraine, many groups of African students asked for help, prompting the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) response. They further alleged that they were not permitted to enter Hungary or Poland.
Dirco’s Clayson Monyela, the department’s Head of Public Diplomacy, confirmed the issues on Twitter. The South African embassies in Hungary and Poland have both stepped up, according to Monyela.
Over the weekend, a video of African nationals attempting to board a train in Ukraine gained attention on social media. Africans were allegedly denied admission to the train, but Ukrainians were supposedly given priority.
Meanwhile, in his capacity as a billionaire, another South African is assisting. Starlink satellites are on their way after Russia unplugged massive networks that were once part of the Ukrainian internet.