The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that the Nigerian family deported from Ireland earlier this year was taken into custody upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport.
Responding to questions raised by ATM, the department stated that the family was transferred to Lindela Repatriation Centre before being deported to Nigeria.
Authorities allege that the family had entered Ireland using fraudulently obtained South African passports.
What has happened at the 2026 World Cup over the last 48 hours:
• Swiss footballer Embolo's visa was put under review and he was only able to join his team days later.
• Iraqi national team player Aymen Hussein was held for questioning for nearly 7 hours upon entering the United States.
• The Iranian national team spent days dealing with visa procedures at the U.S. Consulate in Türkiye. The U.S. only allowed them entry on match days. Fifteen members of the delegation were denied visas.
• Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named CAF's Best African Referee of 2025, was denied a visa. Despite travelling to the U.S. with a diplomatic passport, he was refused entry and sent back. FIFA announced that he will not be able to officiate at the tournament.
• The South African national team arrived in the United States much later than planned because part of the delegation was not granted visas.
• Members of the Senegal national team staff were forced to remove their shoes and subjected to lengthy searches, sparking accusations of racism.
• The Uzbekistan national team was searched with bomb-sniffing dogs and the footage went viral in international media.
• Some Scottish supporters, despite being eligible to enter the U.S. visa-free under the ESTA programme, had their travel authorisations revoked just days before departure.
• Many supporters who had already bought tickets and booked accommodation had their visa applications rejected, resulting in financial losses.
FIFA FAILED ALREADY
Portugal used the Super Eagles to practice so they can play against their peers at the World Cup …
If you are Nigerian reading this and you are wondering who that is …that’s us.
We are the peers.
🇿🇦
Football fans' most hated man? 🤔🧐
Gianni Infantino's failure to understand the World Cup has turned supporters against FIFA's omnipresent president 🤯💥
Read more 🔗 https://t.co/uGk5gOjcaW
Football fans' most hated man? 🤔🧐
Gianni Infantino's failure to understand the World Cup has turned supporters against FIFA's omnipresent president 🤯💥
Read more 🔗 https://t.co/uGk5gOjcaW
DEVELOPING:
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT FOR SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE:CUSTOMS AND THE DIRECTORATE FOR PRIORITY CRIME INVESTIGATION
9 JUNE 2026
SARS AND HAWKS DEAL FURTHER BLOW TO DRUG TRAFFICKING WITH COCAINE SEIZURE AT DURBAN PORT
Tshwane, 9 June 2026 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS), working closely with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), has secured the seizure of 30 bricks of cocaine at the Port of Durban.
Today's interception on the KwaZulu-Natal coast follows closely on the heels of another major seizure just three days earlier, during which approximately 90 kg of cocaine concealed in trucks arriving from Brazil was intercepted at the same port. These operations point to intensified efforts by organised crime syndicates to move narcotics through South Africa's trade gateways, matched by a coordinated and robust response from law enforcement agencies.
The interception forms part of ongoing collaborative efforts between SARS and both local and international law enforcement partners to combat illicit trade and transnational organised crime. Through intelligence-led risk profiling and targeting methodologies, a container vessel originating from South America was identified for inspection upon arrival at the Port of Durban.
The Durban Customs team boarded the vessel and located the targeted container, which was positioned below the waterline. During the inspection process, Customs officials identified signs that parts of the container apparatus had been tampered with. This prompted a more intrusive inspection, which led to the discovery of concealed narcotics. A mobile testing kit subsequently confirmed the substance to be 30 bricks of pure cocaine.
The consignment was identified through intelligence-led profiling and risk assessment conducted by SARS Customs officers. Targeted inspections, supported by detector dogs and on-site verification, resulted in the detection and recovery of the concealed drugs.
SARS Commissioner, Dr Johnstone Makhubu, and Acting National Head of the Hawks, Lieutenant General Sphesihle Nkosi, highlighted the strength of coordinated enforcement efforts across government agencies.
“This is what it means to act as one government. SARS and the Hawks are cooperating seamlessly, with one agency acting on intelligence and handing over to the other as part of a single value chain. These interceptions demonstrate that we are disrupting and closing down the space for criminal networks to operate. We are strengthening monitoring at our ports through improved cargo profiling and targeted inspections. Our message is clear: South Africa’s borders are not open to illicit trade,” said Dr Makhubu.
“Drugs are destroying families, communities and the country as a whole. This is not a localised problem; it cuts across every sector of society. We will continue to work with our partners to dismantle these networks and protect our economy and our people,” Dr Makhubu added.
Lieutenant General Nkosi said the results underscore the value of focused cooperation between agencies.
“These successes are the result of disciplined cooperation. When we pool our capabilities, we are better able to detect, intercept and investigate complex criminal operations. Drug trafficking is not only a law enforcement issue; it is a national threat. It fuels violence, weakens communities and harms our children.
We will pursue those responsible wherever they operate, both locally and across borders, and hold them accountable. Law enforcement is working as a united front to strengthen our response. Those who traffic drugs into this country will be identified, tracked and brought to book.”
SARS and its law enforcement partners will continue to strengthen controls at all ports of entry. These recent seizures form part of a broader effort to dismantle organised criminal networks, protect legitimate trade and safeguard South African communities.
I have spoken to a senior @CAF_Online official concerning Arkan’s case. The person declines to be named.
“We are in conversation with @FIFAcom over this matter.”
I asked the official whether CAF will issue a statement of support for Arkan. “We are engaging in quiet diplomacy. Shouting in public could make things a lot worse,” the person said.
“This is a FIFA matter, not a CAF affair. We have no blame in this matter.”
Will the “quiet diplomacy” result in Arkan’s return to the tournament? The CAF official could not answer my question.
#Africa, there you have it…
Trumpists & their amnesia.
FIFA forced Qatar to override its own border policies to grant visas & direct flights for Israelis in 2022. For Russia 2018, FIFA mandated the Fan ID system to bypass Russian visa restrictions entirely.
Don't let Trumpmeningitis consume you.
WhatsApp chats from Crime Intelligence’s Maj-Gen Feroz Khan allegedly show that he shared the name and address of the complainant in a case opened at Sandton Police Station with Mohamed Sayed on behalf of Julius Malema.
The complainant has been identified as the curator of #VBS Mutual Bank.
#MadlangaCommission
So far at the 2026 FIFA Epstein Cup before a ball kicked:
- Senegal & Uzbekistan squads treated like criminals upon arrival given full cavity searches;
- Africa’s best referee sent back to Somalia despite having a diplomatic passport;
- Iraq team photographer sent back despite valid visa;
- AIPS (international sport journalist association) calling on FIFA to sort out unacceptable visa issues of African & Iranian journalists;
- 90% of Moroccan fans with tickets denied entry
- 14 members of Iran backroom staff denied visas
Not a word from Gianni ”today I feel black/gay/disabled etc” Infantino.