News24.com | Ministers will explain UAE president's landing at airport in Eastern Cape - Ramaphosa

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan at Abu Dhabi's presidential airport.

• President Cyril Ramaphosa says ministers owe the people of South Africa an explanation on the permission granted for the landing of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Eastern Cape.
• The wealthy ruler and his family landed at Bulembu Airport last week for Ramadaan celebrations.
• Highly placed sources told News24 that Al Nahyan would spend two weeks at a private game resort he built from scratch after buying a big piece of land two years ago.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says ministers will brief the nation soon on the processes followed to facilitate United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his family's landing in the Eastern Cape.

TimesLIVE reported that Ramaphosa assured the nation due process was followed to facilitate Al Nahyan's visit. Ramaphosa was responding to questions from the media after talks with Finland's President Sauli Väinämö Niinistö at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa said the relevant ministers owed an explanation to the people of South Africa on the permission given to facilitate the UAE presidential visit.

The wealthy ruler landed at Bulembu Airport in the Eastern Cape last week, along with an entourage of 500, including other members of the UAE royal family, staff and top artists, for Ramadaan celebrations.

READ | Eastern Cape govt plans to lease Bhisho airport to UAE president's family

The royal family and their guests reportedly brought their own furniture, cars and gym equipment for their two-week stay in the Eastern Cape.

Highly placed sources told News24 that Al Nahyan would spend two weeks at a private game resort he built from scratch earlier this year, after buying a big piece of land two years ago.

Bulembu Airport, which was the only airport of the Ciskei homeland, was decommissioned in the 1990s. It was the only airport in the province with the potential for improvements to meet the standards of the UAE planes.

For the runway to accommodate the planes, the UAE president pumped millions into the extension of the runway and renovations at the airport, which is occupied by the SA military's airborne infantry unit and the SAPS Airwing.

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