Drug mule Tessa to come home

SWANIE Swanepoel’s last memory of his daughter, Tessa Beetge, was seeing the excitement on her face at Durban airport five and a half years ago as she was preparing to board the flight that would change her life forever.

He recalled how happy he and his former wife, Marie, were that their daughter had the opportunity to travel as they had never been out the country. Since waving goodbye to their daughter on that fateful day, it’s been a long and heartbreaking journey to get Tessa home.

Tessa was sentenced to 12 years in jail after being arrested with 10kg of cocaine in her luggage at Sao Paulo airport in Brazil in 2008. She was recruited as a drug mule by Sheryl Cwele, former director of health at the Hibiscus Coast Municipality and former wife of minister of state security, Siyabonga Cwele.

Tessa’s sentence was later reduced to eight years for good behaviour. She has now been released from prison and is awaiting ‘expulsion’ to South Africa. She is currently being held in a police holding cell in Sao Paulo.

Her devoted father, who last heard Tessa’s voice a year and a half ago, only found out about his daughter’s release when he was contacted by the press on Monday this week.

Swanie said he had managed to get hold of the department of international relations and co-operation, and was eagerly awaiting details of Tessa’s return. “I am over the moon and very excited,” said an emotional Swanie, speaking to the Herald at the Manaba hardware store where he works.

“My life at the moment is Tessa. I love all three of my daughters, they are my world,” he said, “but it’s been lonely with Tessa not being here.”

He admitted that last year was particularly difficult, with the end of his 44-year marriage and Marie’s sudden death, all of which were compounded by Tessa’s absence.

Swanie said Marie would have been thrilled to hear her daughter was returning home, as she had fought tirelessly for Tessa’s release. “Tessa was her life and she was so looking forward to seeing her,” he added softly.

So far, three people from the South Coast have offered to pay for Tessa’s air ticket home, for which Swanie is very grateful as he admitted he couldn’t afford the airfare.

He added that he received a letter from Tessa two weeks ago, outlining her plans for when she arrives home. He didn’t want to reveal too much, saying only that she wanted to see her friends, family and children, and visit her mother’s grave. Marie died last year, reportedly from organ failure after an operation.

Swanie said he was proud of Tessa, as she was a very religious girl, and from what he had heard, was ministering to the women at the prison. “Tessa learned a lot about life. She has had time to think, and has become a better person,” he said.

Cwele and her co-accused, Nigerian Frank Nabolisa, were convicted of using drug mules to smuggle cocaine and are currently each serving a 12 year sentence.

Swanie said as a Christian, he has forgiven Cwele. “Sheryl deprived us of the joy of our daughter, and her children from spending their childhood with their mother. I forgive her, but I don’t want to see her.”

He recalled how Tessa had once written a letter in which she told him that, ‘God has sent me for a purpose, and when He is finished with me, He will send me home’. Touchingly, in another letter, Tessa had told him how the one thing she missed the most was opening a door herself.

And Tessa had admitted she had learned a hard lesson, once writing, “Daddy, the things you told me, I didn’t listen. Now, that I have had time to think, I wish I had listened to you, you were right.”