The Department of International Relations (DIRCO) has launched an investigation against a senior official at the office of the Ambassador of South Africa to Turkey.
This follows a WhatsApp message seen by Algoa FM, where he allegedly lashed out at a group of stranded South Africans in the country.
In the text, the official tells the group of 29 musicians - including four from Port Elizabeth, stuck in the town of Antalya to stop being cry babies and quit finding fault at the embassy's efforts of repatriating the group.
The message further asked the students to stop their "entitlement mentality".
The spokesperson for the Ministry, Lunga Ngqengele said an investigation was underway, looking at the legitimacy of the WhatsApp message.
He said the individual in question would be held accountable should he be found to have been in transgression.
Ngqengele said the department continues to facilitate the repatriation process.
He said the group is part of 93 others waiting to be brought back from Turkey.
