South African Government Issues Urgent Evacuation Advisory For Citizens In Middle East Amid Rapid Regional Escalation

DIRCO advises 6,400+ South Africans in the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait to evacuate immediately as Middle East conflict escalates and flights resume limited operations.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 6:20 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from BusinessTech

Regional Chaos Following Targeted Strikes

The Middle East has entered a state of severe instability following coordinated military attacks by the United States and Israel into Iran. These strikes reportedly led to over a thousand deaths, including the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes targeting facilities hosting U.S. troops in neighboring countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait. The rapid expansion of the conflict has forced several nations to partially or fully close their airspace, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.

DIRCO Activates Travel Smart Emergency Protocols

As of March 4, 2026, over 6,400 South African citizens have registered their presence in the Middle East via the Travel Smart system. DIRCO has expressed concern over the safety of these expatriates and travelers, urging those currently on non-essential travel to leave the "danger zone" as soon as a safe passage can be secured. The department highlighted that while the situation remains fluid, a proactive exit is essential before further heavy attacks, which are expected to continue in the coming days, further diminish evacuation options.

Limited Resumption Of Commercial Flights

DIRCO has informed citizens that several airlines have begun resuming limited commercial flights out of the conflict zone. Major regional carriers, including Emirates and Etihad, have started operating a small number of repatriation and essential service flights. For example, Emirates is expected to operate a limited schedule between Dubai and South African hubs like Cape Town and Johannesburg through March 7, 2026. Citizens are strongly encouraged to take immediate advantage of these windows of opportunity, as standard flight schedules remain largely suspended and subject to short-notice cancellation.