South African comedian and radio personality, Dalin Oliver, has been stuck in Dubai amid airstrikes.
Image: File
As tensions rise in the Middle East following a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran at the weekend, concerns about South Africans abroad have grown.
Retaliation, allegedly from Iran, damaged the Dubai International Airport and its landmark Burj Al Arab hotel.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) had since cancelled several South African flights due to the tension.
Speaking to IOL, radio personality and comedian, Dalin Oliver, who is set to go on his Australian comedy tour, is one of the people stuck in Dubai during his 20-hour layover.
Oliver departed from Cape Town International Airport at 6.30pm on Friday, February 26, and landed at 6am at Dubai International Airport.
“Essentially, I am in transit. My connecting flight was supposed to be at 2am on Sunday, March 1, to land in Adelaide (Australia) the evening,” Oliver said.
He told IOL that he was not too concerned about his layover as the Emirates Airline put him up in a hotel and, having a close friend in Dubai, he knew he could spend some time with him and be a tourist.
“I applied for a Dubai e-visa: 48 hours. My friend collected me from my hotel at about 9am (on Saturday). I checked in with my wife, family, and team in Adelaide. My friend and I then went for breakfast. At about 2pm, my friend was showing me Dubai Expo City, and I looked in the sky. I saw a trace of cloud, and it sounded like an aeroplane. I thought it was a shooting star or fireworks.
“Eventually, there was an explosion, and it was actually a missile being intercepted. This was wild. We didn’t know it was a missile because there was no news of anything yet. Then, about 10 to 20 minutes later, people started messaging my friend asking if we were okay, and then it clicked. That was a missile,” Oliver told IOL.
He said those were the only missiles he saw, but saw many online as social media erupted with the attempts of attacks.
“Those were the only missiles I saw. I have seen others online. The [UAE] government has urged people to check official websites and credible websites for any communications. It has been very calm. Government has communicated with people efficiently and accordingly. Speaking to locals on the ground. I am finding my peace in their peace and calmness,” he said.
While getting food on Sunday morning, just after 1am, Oliver said alerts were received about possible attacks.
“Your phone starts beeping loudly, and what happens is that you’re supposed to seek shelter. Being a South African and being in that situation is very distinct. My phone was beeping as well. You can hear the missiles in the air. It is scary and unsettling, but knowing that the country has the capabilities to intercept missiles is the calming part. They are prepared for it. At night, I could hear the missiles. Last night (Sunday) I heard less,” Oliver explained.
Initially, Emirates was covering all costs for those stuck in Dubai, including accommodation, breakfast, lunch, and supper.
“The government also released a statement that they will be covering the expenses for travel and accommodation for everyone who is stuck in Dubai. Shoutout to the government for making all foreign nationals who are stuck here feel at peace during this tough situation and the circumstances we find ourselves in,” Oliver said.
Dirco has called on all South Africans in the Middle East to ensure they are registered.
Image: Dirco
The UAE has closed its airspace due to the current tension.
“I will only be able to depart once the airspace has opened. The last official communication was that flights are resuming at 3pm. It could change. One good thing, the Emirates staff are at the hotel getting passengers’ details. Online, it is chaotic, but the fact that they’re on the ground and sending staff is amazing. The authorities have been amazing. I have never felt uncomfortable, afraid or worried in any way,” Oliver added.
A South African resident who has been living in Serena in Dubai for 14 years said they are safe and at peace.
The 36-year-old businessman said the weekend ‘things were a bit crazy’.
“On Saturday, a friend from Abu Dhabi came to visit me, and as we were returning from the shop, we heard this loud bang. We thought someone had knocked into a car. My wife called me asking if I heard the bang. Later, we had a braai, and we just heard loud bangs throughout the day. The government is doing everything to protect us, and we couldn’t be in a better place right now. All these missiles are being intercepted. Some of them are right above our heads. On Saturday, we could see it (missiles),” he said.
The father said that at about 12.30am, they got an alert to stay indoors.
“There was a bit of a panic yesterday (Sunday), people were buying a lot of supplies and food. The UAE has assured us that we are safe and we are protected, which is nice. Despite all of that, it is a scary situation. Today, Dubai is running; everything is basically back to normal. Metro is working, trains are working. Buses are driving. Taxis are driving. Schools are online until Wednesday. The UAE government is extremely efficient; some debris fell onto the Fairmount Hotel, and it started burning. They responded right there and then,” he said.
He further commended the unity shown across the country.
“People are coming together, even those with Airbnb, are giving accommodation to the almost 20,000 people that are stuck here in Dubai for free. Accommodation in hotels, refunds for tickets, visas, extending stays, and food were given to passengers at the airport. It really is good,” he said.
The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has urged all citizens currently in the Middle East to contact their respective embassies accredited to their countries to ensure they are registered with and that their whereabouts are known to the embassies.
“It is important to know that South Africa’s support in these countries could be limited and that it could be assumed that no face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency, and the South African government may not be able to help you if you get into difficulty, depending on your location.
In a statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African government expressed deep concern regarding the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
The Presidency said these developments pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, with far-reaching humanitarian, diplomatic and economic consequences.
Ramaphosa called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to act in a manner consistent with international law, international humanitarian law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL