Urgent appeal: Zondi family needs R130k to repatriate daughter’s body from USA

The distraught family of the late Thobile Tshabalala (27) is pleading with the community to assist them with donations for the repatriation of her body from the USA.

According to information provided by Tshabalala’s aunt, Busisiwe Moloi, she left her home in Zondi in May 2024 for greener pastures and started working as an au pair through a programme.

Tshabalala was, however, let go by her agency after she became sick in April.

She then started looking for another job, which she found this month.

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It is alleged that due to her deteriorating mental health, Tshabalala reached out to a friend abroad who promised to assist her with money to fly back to SA. However, she collapsed at their meeting point in the airport.

“We received a call from the hospital informing us about her admission.

“Throughout her three-day stay in the hospital, we were in contact with her until we received a video from her doctor showing my niece in the ICU,” Moloi said.

She added that during the video call, Tshabalala was unconscious, and the doctor informed them that she had four hours to live, and immediately after the four hours passed, they were called and informed of her passing.

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“We are distraught. My niece has never shown signs of mental illness when she was home or before leaving for her job.

“We believe her job might have contributed greatly to her mental breakdowns.

“What scares us most is that the hospital will be releasing her body on Thursday, and no mortuary is willing to take her since her health insurance was no longer active after the agency let her go.

“We are pleading with anyone who can assist us with any amount of money to bring her body home and give her a decent send-off.”

The agency that assisted Tshabalala to get the job has not yet reached out to the family.

“The South African Embassy in the USA is still assisting us with getting her documentation in order, but we are still in need of funds to repatriate her body back home.”

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The family needs R130 00 to bring Tshabalala’s body home.

A GoFundMe account has been created, and so far, 89 people have donated; however, the target is still far from being reached.

Residents who would like to assist the family can contact Moloi on 073 333 4116.