African Peace Mission: SA security personnel 'sabotaged' at Poland airport

Head of the Presidential Protection Services, Major General Wally Rhoode, who's travelling with the team stuck there hasn't mince his words about the almost 10-hour standoff between their security team and Warsaw officials. 

He released video messages on Twitter, on Friday morning to make public the travel delays and challenges they have encountered at the Warsaw Chopin Airport . 

"They say we don't have permits, we have permits. The only difference is that they say we can't bring a copy, we must bring the original. Some of us have original permits. 

"The embassy here printed permits because they told us it is not necessary to have the originals here. Now all of a sudden we must have originals. They are delaying us. They are putting the life of our president in jeopardy."

READ: Ramaphosa holds talks with Putin ahead of African peace mission 

The movement of specialist teams, including journalists, has been restricted.

Rhoode says they were threatened with weapon confiscation. 

"I want you guys to see this, how racist they are. They decided to open the packages and confiscate our firearms. That is why we had to put it back. We were sabotaged while we were here." 

But Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya insists the team's travel difficulties aren't a cause for concern. 

He's attributed the delay to logistical and bureaucracy challenges. 

Ramaphosa and several other leaders from the continent are on a peace mission to Ukraine. 

The mission comprises leaders from Zambia, the Comoros, Congo, Egypt, Senegal and Uganda.