SA has systems to help citizens stuck abroad

There has been a growing number of SA citizens taking to social media asking for help to be brought home after being stuck in foreign countries. The latest was a woman who took to TikTok to ask for help, claiming she was stuck in the United Arab Emirates and couldn't leave as she still owed a bank in the Middle East country. In most cases, the department of international relations & cooperation's Clayson Monyela intervenes and helps with the safe return of these citizens. Sowetan speaks to Monyela about the plight of South Africans stuck abroad and the government's policy on assisting them return home.

Sowetan: Is the problem of South Africans being stranded abroad becoming a growing issue?

Monyela: “Yeah. Look, I think because of the unemployment challenge that we have in SA, there's a lot more young people, young graduates who are looking for opportunities overseas.

Sowetan: Please explain the process of getting South Africans back home?

Monyela: The department has a section called Consular Services, which helps South Africans who are in distress overseas. However, it's important to articulate to your readers that consular assistance offered by the South African government through our embassies is non-financial. That's the policy of this government and it's a universal policy. If you think about it, if the government were to offer financial assistance to their citizens stranded abroad, no government would have a budget large enough to cover that.

Sowetan: What happens in a situation where a South African gets arrested abroad?

Monyela: We act as the intermediary between the incarcerated person and their family. We dispatch diplomats from the embassy to visit the person in jail to ensure they are treated properly in line with the Vienna Convention and international protocols. If they want to arrange a lawyer, we convey this to the family, but the costs are covered by the family. No government covers these costs.

Sowetan: What are the exceptions where the government does pay to return its citizens?

Monyela: In the case of natural disasters in foreign countries, where a number of South Africans are caught up, such as during Covid-19. When Covid-19 first hit, we had a number of students in Wuhan [a city in China], the epicentre of the outbreak. We dispatched planes to bring them back home at the state's cost. If there's an earthquake in any country and South Africans are trapped there, we will do the same. However, for individual cases, the costs are borne by the family.

Sowetan: What advice would you give to South Africans planning to travel abroad?

Monyela: For young people looking for job opportunities overseas, please double-check that the offer is legit. And if you are not sure, check with the department because we've got the expertise to check. Also, they should always get travel insurance. If you fall into legal problems, get arrested, run out of funds to travel back, or if a family member passes away, travel insurance covers these scenarios.

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