Gift of the Givers helping South Africans stuck in Sudan

The KZN-based humanitarian group says it's managed to organise buses to transport citizens to airports that are safe.

The organisation's Imtiaz Sooliman says they've received calls for help from South Africans stuck in Khartoum, and thanks to public sponsorships they've been able to hire buses to assist with emergency evacuations. 

"The question is, which airport, options are saying port Sudan, Egypt, and two other airports I will not mentuon. We've also been requested by the Sudanese government if we can help them to provide busses to evacuate their nationals. 

"We are in talks right now to see how we can provide them with busses for them and try to use the same route and airport that we want to use for South Africans. We are in contact with people within our government, with South Africans on the chatgroup and South Africans making arrangements in Sudan."

Violent clashes broke out between the army and paramilitary forces a week ago. 

The Department of International Relations last week urged South Africans to remain indoors. It said the embassy is looking at how it would be able to assist them. 

Sooliman says careful planning is needed to bring everyone home. 

"This is not a Gift of the Givers intervention, we are just trying to help and guide as best as we can in the best interest of all South Africans and hopefully Tanzanians also, as they approached us."

The US, Britain and France are among the nations who have now evacuated diplomats from Sudan, though Sudanese citizens are still struggling to escape. 

More than 430 people have been killed since fighting began nine days ago between the army and a rival paramilitary group known as Rapid Support Forces.

ALSO READ