In early December 2025, the government of South Africa announced the withdrawal of its 90-day visa exemption for holders of Palestinian passports. This dramatic move followed the arrival of a chartered aircraft carrying about 153 Palestinians — many fleeing the conflict in Gaza — who landed at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The plane remained on the tarmac for more than 12 hours while immigration authorities attempted to verify the passengers and how the flight was organised.
According to Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the government’s intelligence services, the charter flight was part of a broader, systematic abuse of the visa-free arrangement with Palestine. Investigations reportedly linked the operation to external actors — specifically “Israeli-linked actors” reportedly involved in “voluntary emigration” efforts for residents of Gaza.
The government’s view is that the privilege — intended to facilitate short-term travel, tourism and cultural exchange — was misused to facilitate the mass relocation of Palestinians under dubious circumstances. Many of the chartered passengers allegedly lacked return or onward tickets, had no proper exit stamps from Israel, carried only limited personal belongings (only essential items and cash), and lacked verified accommodation or onward plans. Those who arrived were initially denied deboarding but were later admitted on humanitarian grounds, after intervention by civil-society organisations such as Gift of the Givers.
In response, the DHA revoked the visa-free entry for Palestinians, stating that the 90-day waiver “will no longer apply,” and that genuine Palestinian travellers will need to apply for regular visas. The government stressed that South Africa does not wish to be complicit in any coordinated attempt to relocate or displace Palestinians — especially under a process that appears to exploit immigration rules and jeopardise the welfare of vulnerable individuals.
For authorities, the case underscores the risks inherent in visa-waiver or visa-free regimes: well-intentioned policies designed to foster travel and solidarity can be manipulated by unscrupulous actors to serve geopolitical or relocation agendas. The decision to withdraw the exemption appears aimed at reclaiming control over immigration flows, safeguarding national border integrity, and protecting vulnerable travellers from exploitation.
At the same time, the move raises broader ethical and humanitarian questions, especially given the dire circumstances many Palestinians are fleeing as a result of conflict. While South Africa positions its decision as necessary and legal, some observers worry about the long-term implications for refugees, asylum-seekers, and the country’s historic solidarity with dispossessed peoples.
