Gift of the Givers urges South Africans in Middle East to seek embassy support

As tensions escalate across parts of the Middle East, South African humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) have issued urgent appeals for South Africans in the region to seek immediate embassy support, warning that assistance may be constrained if violence intensifies further. Gift of the Givers urged South African nationals to prioritise their safety and leave affected areas where possible. The organisation confirmed that individuals listed on its internal database had already been contacted and advised to evacuate even before the latest surge in instability.

“Anyone requiring assistance, or who knows of a South African in distress, should urgently contact the relevant diplomatic mission,” the organisation said. Dirco echoed the call, urging all South Africans residing in Middle Eastern countries to formally register with the nearest South African embassy to ensure their whereabouts are known. “South Africa wishes to urge all its citizens in the Middle East region to contact the respective embassies accredited to their countries of residence to ensure that they are registered and that their whereabouts are known,” the department said in a statement.

However, the department cautioned that consular support may be severely limited under emergency conditions. “It is important to note that South Africa’s support in these countries could be limited and that no face-to-face consular assistance may be possible in an emergency.” South Africans in the following countries are advised to make immediate contact with their nearest mission: