Latest news with #Monyela
TimesLIVE
23-07-2025
- 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.
