South Africans stranded in India are desperate to come home
A KwaZulu-Natal South Coast man says he and his friends, who have been stranded in India for nearly two months, have been frustrated by the lack of communication from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco). Mark Gettliffe, 65, of Leisure Bay, said when they landed in Mumbai in March things started to get progressively worse. Gettliffe said they were not aware what was happening and when they arrived, India had entered a complete lockdown.
The hotel that we were supposed to be staying in said they were closed and they put us in another place that wasn’t really great,” he said. Gettliffe said his group moved into a backpackers were they have been living for the past five weeks.
He said they registered with the SA High Commission in Dehli but have not heard from Dirco. Not even an email to say ‘keep your spirits up, we’re working on it’. We’re fed up in that regard,” he said. Being stranded has taken its toll emotionally, Gettliffe said. I cry every day. But I know that I can’t let it get me down or I won’t be able to pick myself up again.
Fellow traveller Doug Jardine, a 68-year-old businessman from Sandton, said an Australian who was in their group was repatriated by the Australian government three weeks ago. I’ve been in contact with the SA consul-general in Mumbai but had no feedback as to what’s being done to get us repatriated,” said Jardine. There are about 200 South Africans stranded in India. Some have already practically run out of money and are quite desperate.
Durban lawyer Saber Ahmed Jazbhay said he was contacted by 16 of the South Africans stranded in India and made more than 40 calls to assist them. Jazbhay said one of the stranded people was a man whose father had died of Covid-19 related complications last week in a Durban hospital. He said a copy of the father’s death certificate was sent to the embassy to show there was a compelling reason why the son needed to get home.
“But all they said was ‘we’re very sorry about the death of your father’, that’s all,” he said. Jazbhay said he sent emails and letters and made many calls to assist not only the 16 people who asked for help, but the entire group
“I’m frustrated. I’m disgusted at the government’s callous disregard,” he said. Meanwhile, a repatriation flight from Doha, which was beset by delays, arrived in South Africa on Wednesday night. Grant Evans was on the flight with his wife.
Evans’s father, Alan, said the flight was meant to leave Doha on Tuesday but the plane was turned back at the gate. Evans confirmed on Wednesday night that the flight landed at OR Tambo International Airport and said they were waiting to see where they would be quarantined.
He said the delays on Tuesday were an emotional roller-coaster. The delay was incredibly disappointing for us, we’d been sleeping in airports for three nights already and wanted to just get on the plane and get home. To have the plane stop and then return created the utmost despair,” said Evans. While everyone was extremely tired, Evans said they remained calm and listened to instructions, realising there was nothing else to be done except deal with the situation.
“So the night began sprawled across the airport floors and chairs, everyone taking refuge with whatever they had,” he said. Meanwhile, Dirco said the department has not cancelled any arrangement with Qatar Airlines. It was responding to reports that alleged the government pulled the plug on Qatar Airlines repatriating South Africans.
Dirco’s Clayson Monyela said the department would continue discussions with the airline to repatriate South Africans. He said because of the continued demand for South Africans to be repatriated, the department submitted a request to the National Coronavirus Command Council. When the process has been finalised and all the arrangements have been made, Dirco will continue with the repatriation of South Africans,” Monyela said. He said 3 400 South Africans had been repatriated.
In other news – Magagula Lodge where Bobo was killed burnt down – Video #JusticeForBobo #RIPBobo
The owner of Magagula Lodge where Bobo Andile Mchunu was brutally beaten to death has been burnt down by protesters and they seek Justice For Bobo #JusticeForBobo. The owner of Magagula lodge is being accused of brutally murdering Bobo together with other suspects. Residents of Hambanathi in Tongaat have decided to burn down the lodge. Residents have decided to attack the lodge. Read more
Source: IOL
