A leading Northern Ireland businessman and his wife have been left stranded on the tarmac of an airport in South Africa with no toilet facilities or food.

Hagan Homes founder James Hagan and partner Anne Heeks were held airside in a van for over 24 hours due to newly introduced visa restrictions over Covid-19.

The pair, who are now safe and set to head home, had been travelling in Zimbabwe to celebrate Anne's 60th. They flew to Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday 18 March on a private charter before a BA flight home from Cape Town this Sunday 22 March.

After completing all the necessary health screening forms and waiting 27 hours to get the required flight permit to land in Lanseria, passport details and health data were shared with the South African authorities showing they had not been to a high-risk country and in fact been in Africa since late February.

-- Advertisement --

On arrival at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, they were refused entry as they have UK passports and were advised they were high risk. Despite handing over proof that they left the UK in the first week of January, entry was refused.

They were kept in an interview room for many hours on arrival. Anne, a retired nurse from England, had police called to her in the airport as she refused to sign a form which stated, 'you are a person from a high-risk country'. The form also was in the name of another unknown person, hence the refusal.

Despite this, James witnessed other UK and Irish passport holders being cleared for entry, which is in conflict for their refused entry.

Since being brought to a van outside on airport tarmac, calls have been made to the foreign office who appeared unable to help as their advice has been that any country has the right to refuse entry. The British Embassy made contact with James and are working are to resolve the issue.

A spokesperson for Hagan Homes concluded: "We completely understand the fear and that regulations must be followed, but the South Africa authorities have made an erroneous decision based on a very clear misunderstanding of the facts."

In a statement on the Hagan Homes Facebook page today, 20 March, it was confirmed James and Anne are safe, their visas have now been resolved and flight arrangements confirmed.

(CM/MH)