Johannesburg - South African authorities have launched an investigation into how 153 Palestinians arrived at Johannesburg airport on a flight from Nairobi, raising questions about the itinerary and organization of the trip.
The travelers, who included men, women and children, were held under police surveillance for more than 12 hours because their passports did not contain an exit stamp from Israel.
The Ministry of Interior approved their entry into the country only yesterday evening, after agreements with the local NGO "Gift of the Givers", which guaranteed them shelter and support.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the incident had mysterious elements, noting that the group boarded a plane that stopped in Nairobi before landing in South Africa. He added that all details of the itinerary would be carefully followed.
Of the 153 travelers, 130 received temporary visas for 90 days, while 23 others continued their travels to other countries.
On October 28, a similar flight brought 176 Palestinians to Johannesburg, some of whom have since left for third countries.
The Palestinian embassy in South Africa described the trips as the initiative of an unregistered and dubious organization that exploited the humanitarian situation of the people of Gaza to raise money and facilitate trips in an irregular manner.