Mountain View resident stranded in Vietnam
Erinda Esterhuizen travelled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in August of last year to find work as an English teacher.
Family and friends of a 33-year-old Pretoria resident stranded in Vietnam are frantically trying to find a way to repatriate her back to South Africa.
Erinda Esterhuizen, from Mountain View, travelled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in August of last year to find work as an English teacher.
“I am one of over 150 South Africans stranded in Vietnam,” Erinda told Rekord.
“We all just want to go home.”
Erinda completed a course in teaching English in 2018.
“She saved up for a whole year to fly to Vietnam to look for work,” said mom Ester.
“She had a return flight to South Africa for March. But when it was time to return, the flights from Vietnam had already been grounded due to the Covid-19 outbreak.”
Erinda had been staying in a hotel roughly five minutes from the airport.
“She has no other accommodation and can only leave to visit either the pharmacy or a nearby grocery shop.
“She isn’t receiving any warm welcomes from the Vietnamese people who accuse travellers like her of spreading Covid-19.”
This stigmatisation had resulted in Erinda not being able to find more affordable accommodation, according to Ester.
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“When she ran out of money I ended up selling my car in order to try and support her,” said Ester, who is a pensioner staying in a garden flat in Mountain View.
“If she runs out of money again she will be out on the streets.”
Erinda said she isn’t someone who scares easily.
“But I am very scared now.
“A few days ago they came to test me for Covid-19. Health workers who don’t speak English dressed in overalls and masks came. They made me sign some forms and then they tested me.
“I was so scared because those who test positive are placed into quarantine.”
Erinda said she was staying at the hotel but didn’t have the means to stay any longer.
“I must have lost up to 10 kg already. I have asked around here for someone to help me with accommodation but it isn’t allowed.”
Mom Ester said attempts had been made to get the department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) to help repatriate her back to South Africa.
“We are told she does not have a flight ticket anymore and there are many other South Africans who are stranded abroad.”
“They also told us Vietnam is not seen as a high-risk country for Covid-19.”
Ester said the family had been advised to find ways of raising funds to help Erinda find accommodation in the meantime.
“Erinda has set up a GoGetFunding profile where she is trying to get financial help.
“We have approached every organisation we can think of to try and help get her back to South Africa even the Presidency.”
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the ministery of international relations and cooperation, Lunga Ngqengelele, said there were a number of countries from which the repatriation of SA citizens was proving problematic.
“Vietnam has been one of those countries,” he said.
“We are looking into alternative methods of getting these citizens home as we speak.”
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