Gallants officials detained in Libya expected home by the end of the long weekend

The ordeal endured by Marumo Gallants employees Rufus Matsena and Tebogo Dhlomo who have been detained in Libya for the past two weeks is coming to a happy end with the pair ready to leave the country. 

According to a statement released by the club on Saturday, Matsena and Dhlomo have been handed back their travel documents and are expected in the country by the end of the long weekend. 

This comes after the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) facilitated a high-level meeting on Thursday with relevant stakeholders. 

“Two Marumo Gallants F.C. staff members (Rufus Matsena and Tebogo Amos Dhlomo) who were detained in Libya following the team’s CAF Confederation Cup match against Libya’s Al Akhdar on March 19 are finally set to return home,” the statement read. 

“This comes after a mediation meeting held this Thursday with relevant officials and representatives from various organisations. Club management has confirmed that the travel documents for the two employees have been returned, and that both Matsena and Dhlomo are ready for their much-awaited return to their country and families.  

“They will be landing in Johannesburg over the course of the current long weekend.” 

“We are immensely relieved that our staff will be returning home safely. They are anxious to get back to their families and their lives here in South Africa. We would like to thank all parties that assisted in us getting to this point,” said Marumo Gallants chairperson Abram Sello. 

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.