Latest news with #OmniAirways
eNCA
13-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
US welcomes Afrikaner 'refugees' from South Africa
VIRGINIA, US - A group of Afrikaners has moved to the United States after being granted refugee status. US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, welcomed them at Dulles Airport in Virginia on Monday. A flight carrying the group of 49 landed in the US after it flew out from OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday. READ: 49 Afrikaners headed to US can't simply return for a 'braai' and back - Dirco The group boarded a chartered flight owned by Omni Airways from Texas. The batch consisting of women, children and men heeded President Donald Trump's call to relocate to the US as refugees while accusing the SA government of discriminating against them. This stems from the falsehoods about land expropriation and white genocide in the country.
eNCA
12-05-2025
- eNCA
Trump's administration expected to welcome SA afrikaner refugees in USA
The first group of 49 Afrikaner 'refugees ' leaving South Africa for the US. WASHINGTON, USA - A flight carrying the first group of 49 people applying for refugee status in the US has just landed. They flew out from OR Tambo International Airport last night. A chartered flight owned by Omni Airways from Texas, took them to the US, where they will be received by officials. ENCA correspondent in the US, Toni Waterman gave an update as they landed at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Eyewitness News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
SA transport officials detail flight plan for aircraft carrying 49 Afrikaners relocating to US
JOHANNESBURG - South African transport officials have detailed the flight plan for an aircraft carrying 49 Afrikaners relocating to the United States (US) as part of Washington's refugee programme. The private charter flight finally took off late Sunday night after a three-hour delay that kept Texas-based Omni Airways on the tarmac longer than expected. The cause of the delay is unknown at this stage. ALSO READ: Almost 50 white Afrikaners on board flight to US as part of resettlement programme This is the first group of Afrikaners who have been admitted to the US under refugee status after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing them to resettle amid a disinformation campaign about racial laws in South Africa. The Department of Transport said there is limited leeway to allow for delays because a chartered flight has to follow a strict flight plan. Department spokesperson Collen Msibi said the application for the use of a chartered plane is processed by the International Air Services Council. He said these plans are made to ensure that there are no clashes in the use of airspace. Despite the delay, the aircraft is believed to have kept to its planned approved route. 'It goes to Dakar, where they have to refuel. I think they are going to spend about an hour refuelling and then from Dakar then they head to Washington, Dallas airport in Washington DC, and thereafter, the flight proceeds to Texas.' Msibi said the department has not received any other application for a similar process yet.
Eyewitness News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Almost 50 white Afrikaners on board flight to US as part of resettlement programme
JOHANNESBURG - A group of 49 white Afrikaners now classified as refugees are currently on board a flight destined for the United States (US) as part of Washington's resettlement programme. Their move to the US follows an executive order by President Donald Trump giving a small group of South Africans a lifeline amid false claims they are being persecuted in the country. Although Trump halted virtually all other refugee programmes at the start of his presidency, his administration established the refugee resettlement programme to accommodate Afrikaners that claim to be fleeing South Africa. The South African government has vehemently denied claims peddled by the US and some South African lobby groups about minority groups being targeted. The Department of Transport spent hours on site facilitating the process to get the small group of Afrikaners up in the air. Department spokesperson Collen Msibi said an application was lodged by Texas-based Omni Airways requesting permission for a private charter flight to operate in South Africa's domestic airspace. The application was then taken to the International Air Services Council for consideration. Msibi explained what the application entails, 'In the application, they then have to state the routes, how many flights, as well as the crew it has to be mentioned there.' He said the application was approved on Friday, with the flight set to land at the Dulles Airport in Washington. It's unclear at this stage where exactly in the US they will be settled once the administrative process is finalised.
