Latest news with #TamboInternationalAirport
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Athletes return to OR Tambo after medal wins in China
Athletes return to OR Tambo after medal wins in China OR Tambo International Airport was filled with joy and celebration on May 14 as proud supporters, family, friends, and classmates welcomed home South Africa's medal-winning relay athletes. The team returned from the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. The national team earned three medals, including gold in the men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays and bronze in the women's 4x400m final. In addition to the podium finishes, all three squads secured automatic qualification for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. ALSO READ: Cyclists get huge welcome at OR Tambo for Cape Town feat The mixed 4x400m team, which finished fifth in their event, also qualified. Athletics South Africa (ASA) president James Moloi praised the team's success, describing it as the result of a broader developmental plan. 'We are very excited because this is a long-term project, especially aimed at building up these young athletes. While Tokyo is our next target, we are building for Los Angeles,' he said. Moloi explained that ASA has a four-year development programme that includes rural and urban school competitions. 'We want to build a strong pipeline across all disciplines, especially the women's teams. We've also launched a broadcasting initiative and secured sponsorship for the full four-year cycle,' he added. He stressed the importance of continued investment in development. 'It's difficult to beat countries like the USA, Britain, and Jamaica. People assumed the SA team wouldn't win because of those strong competitors, but we proved them wrong.' ALSO READ: Paralympic medalists receive heroes' welcome at OR Tambo In the men's 4x100m relay, 19-year-old Bayanda Walaza teamed up with Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine to record a blistering time of 37.61 seconds, the fastest of the year, beating the United States by just 0.05 seconds. Bayanda's mother, Tholiwe Walaza, was overwhelmed with pride. 'I'm very happy. They've done so well. Since primary school, Bayanda has been passionate about athletics. This is a dream come true,' she said. Bradley Nkoana's grandmother, Anna Nkoana, travelled from Mabopane to give her grandson a hero's welcome. 'I couldn't wait for this day. I called him every day while he was away. His passion started in primary school, and he's still going strong in university,' she said. In the men's 4x400m, the team of Gaerdeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer, and Zakithi Nene claimed gold with a time of 2 minutes and 57 seconds. Leendert Koekemoer's father, Lourens, proudly reflected on his son's journey. 'My son ran the third leg. It's amazing. Athletics in South Africa is in a healthy place right now. 'From junior to senior levels, there's great momentum. Leendert started with short-distance races, but everything changed when he switched to the 400m in Grade Eight. He's since won national titles and even broke a South African record this year.' ALSO READ: Meet the executive housekeeper of City Lodge at OR Tambo The women's 4x400m team, Shirley Nekhubui, Miranda Coetzee, Precious Melepo, and Zeney van der Walt, set a new national record on their way to securing the bronze medal. SASCOC president Barry Hendricks congratulated the team, saying: 'We're proud of you. You made us stand and scream at our TVs. 'The passion you showed has planted a seed of hope for many aspiring athletes. Our investment through the Operation Excellence programme has paid off.' Former South African sprinter Geraldine Pillay also praised the athletes. 'I'm incredibly proud of our athletes. They performed brilliantly and qualified for the World Championships, topping the medal rankings at the World Relays. This is a phenomenal moment for both the young stars and seasoned athletes like Akani Simbine. 'We wish the team all the best for the rest of the season, especially as they prepare for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
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.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Ramaphosa plans meeting with Donald Trump after 49 Afrikaners granted refugee status
President Cyril Ramaphosa is planning a meeting with United States President Donald Trump regarding the refugee status granted to a group of Afrikaners. Image: GCIS President Cyril Ramaphosa is planning a meeting with United States President Donald Trump regarding the refugee status granted to a group of Afrikaners. The critical meeting comes in the wake of a recent chartered flight that transported 49 Afrikaners to the US, leading to questions about their eligibility for refugee status. President Ramaphosa addressed the issue on Monday at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where he made it clear that the beleaguered migrants did not conform to the established criteria for individuals deserving of refugee protection. Ramaphosa said he spoke to Trump on Monday afternoon and told him that he had been provided with false information. "I told him I would like to come and meet him so that we can discuss this matter further," said Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa said that he clarified some Afrikaners often resist change, preferring to uphold the remnants of apartheid-era practices. On Monday morning, IOL reported that a chartered plane carrying 49 South African Afrikaners departed for the United States on Sunday night under Trump's offer for the 'discriminated' South African individuals and families to relocate. The first batch of Afrikaner refugees left OR Tambo International Airport on a flight operated by the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based charter company Omni Air International, and are expected to land in Washington on Monday evening. Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola said the notion being peddled, that Afrikaners are being persecuted in South Africa, is false. 'We understand it is 49 people who have taken up the offer for refugee status in the United States. Just to be clear, the South African government unequivocally states that these are not refugees. In a country like ours, some of us went to schools where we were taught Afrikaans and by the way Afrikaans is still a medium of instruction and language in many of our schools,' said Phiri. 'We have judges, ministers, former mayors, we have streets named after Afrikaner heroes and Afrikaner nationals in the liberation context as well. To this day, you can drive on Voortrekker Street in any town in South Africa. 'This idea that Afrikaners are being persecuted is completely false, let alone the fact that Afrikaners are not just white people. There are also Africans who are Afrikaners, so this is something that we have stated quite unequivocally, that we contest the status of them being refugees. But we also said we are not going to stand in the way,' he said. The group of 49 left the country on their South African passports and the government in Pretoria said there is no intention to deprive them of citizenship. Phiri however highlighted that once the individuals are accepted into the United States refugee system, they cannot be returned to South Africa by the US government - for any reason. [email protected] IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
‘These are not refugees': Afrikaners relocating to the US can return to South Africa, but there's a catch
A group of 49 South African Afrikaners departed for the United States on Sunday night under US President Donald Trump's offer for the 'discriminated' South African individuals and families to relocate. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation on Monday insisted that the group of 49 Afrikaners who left South Africa, heading to the United States under President Donald Trump's offer, are not refugees. On Monday morning, IOL reported that a chartered plane carrying 49 South African Afrikaners departed for the United States on Sunday night under Trump's offer for the 'discriminated' South African individuals and families to relocate. The first batch of Afrikaner refugees left OR Tambo International Airport on a flight operated by the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based charter company Omni Air International, and are expected to land in Washington on Monday evening. Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola said the notion being peddled, that Afrikaners are being persecuted in South Africa, is false. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. 'We understand it is 49 people who have taken up the offer for refugee status in the United States. Just to be clear, the South African government unequivocally states that these are not refugees. In a country like ours, some of us went to schools where we were taught Afrikaans and by the way Afrikaans is still a medium of instruction and language in many of our schools,' said Phiri. 'We have judges, ministers, former mayors, we have streets named after Afrikaner heroes and Afrikaner nationals in the liberation context as well. To this day, you can drive on Voortrekker Street in any town in South Africa. 'This idea that Afrikaners are being persecuted is completely false, let alone the fact that Afrikaners are not just white people. There are also Africans who are Afrikaners so this is something that we have stated quite unequivocally, that we contest the status of them being refugees. But we also said we are not going to stand in the way,' he said. The group of 49 left the country on their South African passports and the government in Pretoria said there is no intention to deprive them of citizenship. Phiri however highlighted that once the individuals are accepted into the United States refugee system, they cannot be returned to South Africa by the US government - for any reason. 'Here is the difficulty, possibly for these individuals … if they accept refugee status in the United States and they are facilitated as refugees, the United States cannot return them to South Africa for whatever reason. They cannot be deported by the government of the United States,' said Phiri. 'They may self-deport themselves by coming back to South Africa but that will also mean they then renounce their refugee status in the United States. It is really a complex situation.'
