Trapped SA honeymoon couple finally leave the Maldives
A South African honeymoon couple marooned in the Maldives finally left on Saturday along with some of the few remaining tourists trapped by the coronavirus pandemic. Olivia and Raul de Freitas were the only guests left at an upmarket island resort in March as the hotel began shutting down due to COVID-19. They reportedly spent their life savings on the dream trip. The De Freitas were among 40 South Africans in the Indian Ocean nation who were evacuated on Saturday, said the South African consul in the Maldives, Mohamed Ali Manik.
Local authorities organised discounted rates for anyone left stranded. But “everyone was really happy…and eager to get home,” Manik told AFP. The South African embassy in Colombo said two of their tourists and five students in the hospitality industry remained in the Maldives as they could not get to the flight.
We are looking at possible other options to return them home,” Deputy Head of Mission Johannes van Niekerk told AFP. The De Freitas had arrived in the Maldives on March 22 on a six-day honeymoon, which started going south when international travel restrictions were rapidly put into place.
The couple eventually became the only guests at the Cinnamon Velifushi, a resort meant to accommodate 180 people. Everyone says they want to be stuck on a tropical island, until you’re actually stuck,” Raul De Freitas told the New York Times. “It only sounds good because you know you can leave. Airports shut in many parts of the world, including in South Africa and officials said special arrangements were made to operate Saturday’s flight.
In other news – King Monada builds a big million-rand House for his 2 wives
Surely hard work pays and Mr Monada seems to be not wasting any opportunity with his money by investing in such a huge property, called a house. Local musician King Monada has blessed his family with a new house worth R1.5-million.
The Malwedhe hitmaker, who is well-known for putting Limpopo’s modern music on the map and flaunting his fancy cars on social media, built the six-bedroomed house opposite his house in Mokgolobotho, a small village without water and electricity outside Tzaneen, Limpopo. Read more
Source: eNCA
