Eastern Cape boxer Siphamandla “Toy-Toy” Baleni and his trainer, Khangelani Jack, are finally set to return home on Thursday after being stranded in the Philippines because of the conflict in Iran.
Baleni, 35, and Jack found themselves trapped after their return flight via Doha, Qatar, was cancelled on February 28.
Air traffic across the Gulf was closed due to regional instability caused by US-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran on several Middle Eastern countries.
Baleni had fought Filipino boxer Regie Suganob in Tagbilaran City on February 27, having arrived in the Philippines on February 23.
After their connecting flight was cancelled, Suganob’s promoter arranged hotel accommodation for the SA pair at Bohol Island in the hope that the conflict would ease while the promoters searched for alternative routes.
Major airlines have recently resumed limited commercial and relief flights in the Gulf.
Qatar Airways announced on social media platform X late last week that it had started to operate a limited number of relief flights to assist passengers stranded by the conflict and the temporary airspace closures across the region.
“We are working around the clock to organise additional relief flights where operationally possible and will share further updates as soon as they are confirmed,” the airline said.
It said it would contact affected passengers directly about flight details, arrangements and next steps.
“Passengers are kindly requested not to proceed to the airport unless they have received an official notification from Qatar Airways confirming their flight.”
Other major airlines such as Emirates have since also resumed limited operations.
On Wednesday, while waiting to board a flight from the Dubai Airport in the United Arab Emirates, Jack said they were forced to spend a few days in Malaysia and Singapore before arriving in the UAE.
“We spent a week in the Philippines, and we changed route and flew to Kuala Lumpur and then connected to Singapore.
“We had a challenge in Singapore, where we missed our flights and had to spend another three days there.
“We couldn’t get flights from there because almost all of them were full,” Jack said.
He said they managed to get a Qatar Airways connecting flight from Singapore to Dubai which departed at 10pm on Tuesday.
“We’ve arrived safe here and are now awaiting a flight that will depart later today and arrive at OR Tambo in the morning.”
After hostilities broke out in the Gulf, the international relations and co-operation department urged South African citizens to evacuate the Middle East immediately and take advantage of limited commercial flights to return home.
Eastern Cape families scattered across the Gulf and parts of Asia previously spoke of their fear and uncertainty amid sleepless nights, shaking windows and cancelled flights.
From Dubai and Oman to Doha and Manila, South Africans with roots in Mthatha, Gqeberha and East London described their fear and, in most cases, uncertainty at being stranded far from home.
Daily Dispatch
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