Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua on Saturday, June 17, 2023, pledged support to South Africa after President Cyril Ramaphosa's elite security guards were detained in Poland while en route to Russia ahead of the Head of State's peace mission.

In a statement, Mutua said he had spoken with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor about the fiasco, who assured him the matter had been sorted. 

"She has informed me it has been sorted. I have assured her of our support & congratulated SA for the peace initiative," Mutua said. 

The Polish Foreign Ministry on Friday said the plane carrying the security personnel and press crew of the South African President was detained due to the presence of “dangerous materials” and “undeclared persons” on board. 

Latest reports indicate that the 120 security personnel from the Presidential Protection Service (PPS), SAPS task force and other specialised units will return to South Africa on Sunday after the plane chartered by the South African government failed to get flight clearance to fly to Russia.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and other African leaders will meet Russia's President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg in Russia on Saturday afternoon.

He met the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday.

The security personnel was supposed to be deployed to both Kyiv and St Petersburg ahead of Ramaphosa's arrival to ensure his safety.

But after a series of shambolic logistical failures, the whole contingent, including the head of the PPS, General Wally Rhoode, was left stranded aboard a chartered SAA Airbus at Warsaw's Chopin Airport for more than 26 hours while the president was in Ukraine. 

Polish authorities said they refused the South Africans entry to Poland because of faulty and incomplete permits related to the cargo of arms the aircraft was carrying.

Now flight clearance to depart Warsaw for St Petersburg was also refused, meaning that the SAA A340-300, which left Waterkloof Air Force Base on Wednesday night with 120 security personnel and a full airline crew, will return to Pretoria without fulfilling a single mission objective. 

Russia and Ukraine have been at war for 15 months now.   PD - Additional reporting by Agencies.

The 2023/23 Champions League final could see a fresh name on the famous trophy as Manchester City face Inter Milan in Istanbul.

City are pushing to win their first Champions League title, with Inter reaching the final for the first time since winning the competition under Jose Mourinho in 2010.

Whoever comes out on top at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, there will be a string of players clinching their maiden European title, with both squads featuring stars from across the world.

Across both teams, City star Riyad Mahrez and Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana will be looking to join the list of African players to win the Champions League.

MORE: Man City vs Inter Champions League final prediction 2023: Who will win trophy in UCL title match? 

African players to win the Champions League

In total, 26 African players have won the European Cup/Champions League, with 24 of those title winners coming in the post 1992/Champions League era.

Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe) and Rabah Madjer (Algeria) are the only African players to win the European Cup, prior to 1992, with Liverpool and Porto respectively. 

Since the inaugural Champions League tournament in 1992, African champions have been a regular feature of Champions League winning squads, from Ghana's Abedi Pele with Marseille in 1993 to Edouard Mendy (Senegal) and Hakim Ziyech (Morocco) with Chelsea, in 2021.

African European Cup/Champions League winners

African players in Champions League finals

Grobbelar and Madjer both played key roles in their European Cup final wins, in 1984 and 1987, as Grobbelar's famous 'jelly legs' helped Liverpool to a penalty shootout win over Roma, and Madjer scored in Porto's 2-1 win over Bayern Munich.

Only two African players have won multiple Champions League titles, with Seydou Keita winning twice with Barcelona, in 2009 and 2011.

Cameroon superstar Samuel Eto'o won three titles, two in his own spell in Catalonia, and later with Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

Eto'o also received the man of the match award, as Barcelona beat Arsenal in the 2006 final, as did Didier Drogba in Chelsea's shootout win over Bayern Munich in 2012. 

African Champions League winners to score in finals

Madjer was the first African player to score in a European Cup final and go on to win the title in 1984.

Eto'o joined the list, as he scored a crucial equaliser, against Arsenal in Paris in 2006 and became the first African player to score in multiple finals, as he netted against Manchester United, in 2009.

Premier League based African stars then increased the list from 2010 onwards, with Drogba joined by Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.

African scorers in European Cup/Champions League finals

 By Feargal Brennan , SN