Lockdown leaves Margate paraplegic and 125 other South Africans stranded in London
She was returning home from a visit to her sister in the United States when the pandemic struck.
London’s lockdown has left a 24-year-old Margate woman with no option but to wait it out in a London hotel until flights resume from Heathrow airport.
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Rebecca Nagel, who has been confined to a wheelchair since a car accident five years ago, says she has no idea when the airport will be operational again.
She is not alone – there are more than 100 South Africans stranded at the airport, most of whom are employees from various cruise liners.
Rebecca says there is a serious lack of communication, and nobody seemed to be taking responsibility. “It’s like nobody cares,” she adds.
Rebecca has however been in contact with Nomatemba Tambo, the South African High Commissioner in the UK and Northern Ireland, who has been trying to assist her.
“She has been just about the only one keeping us updated and trying to help,” she says.
Rebecca, who works as a human resource and office manager, suffers from medical conditions which put her at increased risk of infection.
She was in Houston, Texas, visiting sister, Robyn Augustin when the Coronavirus outbreak started, and her mother, Sue, tried desperately to get her back home to South Africa.
“We purchased a new ticket to Johannesburg with British Airways, who assured me I could get back home in time. This was not case, and now I am in a hotel in London and do not know what is going to happen next. I have an aunt who lives in nearby, but she cannot accommodate me yet as she is in quarantine.”
Rebecca gives a shout out to the expat community which she says, is being as helpful as possible in looking after the ‘strays’.
Luckily, she has met up with three other people who are staying at the same hotel.
The Herald tried to get hold of British Airways for comment, but without success.
The message on airline’s website says: “We’re currently experiencing extremely high call volumes. Please don’t call or message unless you’re travelling in the next 72 hours so we can help those needing urgent rebooking.”
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