Latest news with #ClaysonMonyela
TimesLIVE
7 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
‘All your kids are coming home': SA teens stranded after Donosti Cup finally return after community rally
A group of Cape Town teenagers stranded in Europe after participating in the prestigious Donosti Cup football tournament are finally on their way home, thanks to a last-minute rescue effort led by local heroes, donors and the Western Cape government. After days of anxiety and confusion Clayson Monyela from the department of international relations and cooperation confirmed the group is safe and staying in a hotel in Portugal. In a WhatsApp message shared with parents, Monyela said: 'All your kids are coming home. The last 16 people will leave Lisbon on Wednesday night at 10.30pm and arrive in Cape Town on Thursday at 2pm.' The ordeal began after the BT Football Academy, which took the teenagers to compete in the Donosti Cup in San Sebastian, Spain, faced logistical and financial setbacks. In a statement the academy said: 'Prior to departure, all essential elements of the tour including accommodation, food, tournament registration and other logistical requirements were paid and secured.
The South African
21-07-2025
- The South African
DIRCO: Stranded football team in Spain is safe, flights pending
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed that the group of young football players and coaches stranded in Spain is staying in a hotel and is safe This comes after a Cape Town-based youth football academy failed to secure returning flights. A group of 25 children aged between 13 and 18, along with three coaches, allegedly travelled to San Sebastián to compete in the Donosti Cup The academy sent the group to Spain on 6 July, with plans to return on 16 July. A week after the scheduled return to South Africa, the kids and coaches remain stuck in Spain without food and accommodation. The academy responsible for the trip said in a statement that a delay in visas caused the chaos. It said that late visa appointment slots caused a struggle to book flights. The academy said rising prices have prevented them from booking flights for the entire group. Clayson Monyela, Deputy Director-General at DIRCO, said his team has been managing a flood of complaints since Friday, 18 July. Monyela confirmed that the team is currently staying in a hotel and is safe 'BT Academy has confirmed to us that they're buying tickets to get everyone back. We'll provide an update as soon as tickets are secured,' Monyela said. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
02-06-2025
- IOL News
23 South Africans return home after months held captive in Myanmar scam operation
Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela said, 'Human trafficking is real, and it can happen to anyone. Awareness and vigilance are our best defence.' After more than four harrowing months in captivity, 23 South Africans have safely returned home following a rescue mission from Myanmar, where they were victims of a human trafficking operation disguised as a job opportunity. The group was lured to Southeast Asia with promises of high-paying jobs in Thailand. However, upon arrival, their passports were confiscated, and they were smuggled across the border into Myanmar. There, they were forced to work under brutal conditions in a cybercrime syndicate, where they were made to scam people online and were subjected to physical and psychological abuse. South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), working closely with the Border Management Authority and international partners, played a critical role in securing their release and bringing them back to South Africa. The group landed safely on home soil over the weekend and is now receiving support and debriefing as part of their reintegration process. 'These individuals endured unimaginable hardship,' said Clayson Monyela, DIRCO spokesperson. 'They were victims of human trafficking, held against their will, and exploited. We are relieved they are back home safely, and we commend the efforts of everyone who helped make this repatriation possible.' The victims, most of them young adults, were among thousands of people across the globe who have been caught up in sophisticated trafficking networks operating across Southeast Asia. These criminal operations often advertise fake job opportunities online, typically in IT or customer service, and target vulnerable individuals seeking work abroad.
