South African update on the situation in Mumbai, India

Pretoria- The South African Government extends its condolences to the government and people of India following a spate of attacks on a number of hotels, hospital and a restaurant in Mumbai on Wednesday 26 November which left a number of people dead and wounded while others have been taken hostage. At this stage, no South African casualties have been reported to the South African Consulate General by the Indian Authorities.

In this regard, the South African Consulate-General in Mumbai has received a number of calls from concerned families in South Africa as well as South African companies with employees in Mumbai including pilots and crew members from the South African Airways.

Due to communication problems created by the attacks, the South African Consulate-General has managed at this stage to make contact with the three pilots and four crew members and efforts are currently underway to contact the rest of the crew members.  In addition, the Consulate-General is in a process of tracing two officials from the South African Revenue Services that are reported to be in the Mumbai area.

South African Consul-General in Mumbai, Busi Kuzwayo has also sent communication to all South African companies based in Mumbai to advise, if any of their employees were in the vicinity of the hotels, hospital and restaurant that came under attack. The Consul-General is still awaiting feedback from these companies.

South African families with relatives in Mumbai are encouraged to contact the Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs at 012-351-1000, while South Africans in Mumbai are being encouraged to contact the offices of the South African Consulate-General in Mumbai to report their presence and well-being.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

27 November 2008