South Africans from Wuhan arrive back home
A group of South Africans who were repatriated from Wuhan, China on Saturday, arrived home at the Polokwane International Airport on a special SAA flight.
Popo Maja from the Department of Health told the SABC that in the end, 114 people chose to accept the government's emergency flight offer.
The plane that landed contained the 114 citizens, 14 crew members, 18 medical staff, and three embassy personnel, according to Maja.
"It is a moment of pride for South Africa. We prevailed in brining our citizens back home," said Maja.
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Government has given assurances that none of them are infected and the quarantine in a local resort hotel is a precaution.
Two weeks ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the repatriation of South Africans who asked to be evacuated from Wuhan, which has been under lockdown for nearly two months.
Meanwhile, António Guterres, the Secretary-General (SG) of the United Nations (UN) has called for prudence as the world grapples with the spread of the Novel-19 coronavirus.
In a letter to the global community, Guterres says: "the virus will peak. Our economies will recover. Until then, we must act together to slow the spread of the virus and look after each other."
Additional reporting by AFP.