Presidency: Talks ‘ongoing’ on Polish blocking of SA plane
Spokesperson in the Presidency Vincent Magwenya says engagements are ongoing between the South African and Polish governments on their refusal to allow a South African delegation to disembark at the Chopin Airport in Warsaw.
Magwenya briefed the media on Wednesday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Earlier this month, more than 120 South Africans, including presidential security guards and journalists, were stuck in a plane for more than 26 hours.
They were meant to accompany President Cyril Ramaphosa on an African-led peace mission to Ukraine.
Polish authorities defended themselves in a statement, saying the decision was taken due to permits which were not in order.
They were also allegedly not informed about some people on board the aeroplane.
But Magwenya doesn’t believe the incident will affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
"There remains engagements through diplomatic channels between the South African government and the Polish government, not only to get to the bottom of the issues that impacted that flight, but also to ensure that such an incident never happens again.
“Prior to the president's departure to Kyiv, he held a bilateral meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda. It was a very constructive and warm engagement that touched on the conflict in Ukraine and President Duda's support of the African peace mission.
“They also touched on strengthening bilateral ties between Poland and South Africa.
“So we do not see that event, unfortunate as it was, as a defining moment in the bilateral relations between South Africa and Poland, and we remain hopeful that officials on both sides will get to the bottom of the issue," said Magwenya.
Magwenya also pointed out that the Presidency was not responsible for the flight.
"I think it is important for us to outline that we, as the Presidency, were just passengers on that flight. We were not procurers of that flight.
“We were offered seats for the media recognising the financial difficulties that a lot of our media houses, recognising the difficulties that journalists, would have experienced trying to travel to Kyiv on their own and recognising the historic importance of that peace mission.
“It was important that if there was such an opportunity, the media was supported to travel. Unfortunately, things did not turn out as we planned.”
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