Socialite and TV personality Eva Modika stranded in the Middle East.
Image: Instagram
Following the escalating conflict in the Middle East, socialite and reality TV personality Eva Modika says she is currently stranded in Dubai and has publicly appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) for urgent assistance.
Stability in the region was jolted on Saturday after the United States and Israel launched coordinated combat operations against Iran. The operation was codenamed “Epic Fury” by the US and “Lion’s Roar” by Israel.
During the strikes, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed while reportedly attending a meeting with senior officials in Tehran. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his death, which was later reported by Iranian state media, declaring 40 days of mourning.
Iran retaliated with waves of attacks across the Gulf region, including in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi and near US military bases. The developments have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
An incoming projectile explodes over the water in the bay of Haifa off of the northern Israeli coastal city on Saturday, February 28. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, in response Iran has retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel.
Image: AFP
On Sunday, DIRCO confirmed it was in communication with South Africans in Gulf nations following the strikes and subsequent retaliatory attacks.
DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said that, at this stage, no South Africans had reported being in distress. The department’s deputy director-general, Clayson Monyela, added that officials were reviewing evacuation contingencies but faced significant logistical challenges due to widespread airspace closures.
“So far, we have not lost anybody. The South Africans we know of are all accounted for. We are monitoring the situation. But the challenge is that unfortunately, it is not possible to move people out of those places because there is no means to do that,” Monyela said.
This picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency shows the site of a strike on a girls' school in Minab, in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, on February 28, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, with Israel's public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel.
Image: ALI NAJAFI / ISNA / AFP
The department stated that evacuations from Gulf nations would not be possible until hostilities subside and airspace reopens.
International bodies, including the United Nations and the African Union, have called for urgent de-escalation.
The military operation reportedly involved airstrikes across at least 24 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
As a result of the conflict and resulting airspace closures over parts of the UAE and Qatar, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) confirmed that at least 14 international flights were cancelled from March 1, 2026, until further notice.
According to ACSA, eight cancellations (seven outbound and one inbound) were recorded at OR Tambo International Airport. Four outbound flights were cancelled at Cape Town International Airport, while King Shaka International Airport recorded two outbound cancellations.
“Passengers are strongly advised to contact their airlines or relevant embassies directly for the latest schedules and status updates,” ACSA said in a statement.
Air India and IndiGo cancelled all Middle East destinations and began rerouting certain international flights to Europe and the United States. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) also suspended services to the Gulf.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Modika said she was stranded in the UAE following the suspension of flights and the grounding of major regional carriers, including Emirates and Etihad Airways.
She claimed to have suffered financial losses of approximately R250,000 after professional DJ bookings and media engagements were cancelled due to the conflict.
Ramaphosa expressed “deep concern” over the escalation and called for “maximum restraint” from all parties, urging adherence to international law, international humanitarian law and the principles of the UN Charter.
“Article 51 of the UN Charter provides for self-defence only when a state has been subjected to an armed invasion. Anticipatory self-defence is not permitted under international law and self-defence cannot be based on assumption or anticipation,” Ramaphosa said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the use of force by the US and Israel, stating that the strikes violated international law and the UN Charter. He also criticised Iran’s retaliatory strikes, saying they violated the sovereignty of several nations, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan and the UAE.
DAILY NEWS