As Makhanda's Nolubabablo “Babsie” Nobanda returns to SA on Thursday, the Thai resident, Henk Vanstaen, who has supported her throughout her incarceration in the kingdom believes she has learnt a lot.

Nobanda is the fifth South African  Vanstaen has assisted in returning to the country, and has campaigned tirelessly for the government to consider prisoner transfer agreements.

Speaking to DispatchLIVE from Thailand on Thursday, Vanstaen said: “She has definitely learnt from this experience. She has come out a better person, not only in terms of getting a degree and education, but in terms of her mental strength.”

An huge amount of gratitude has been expressed to Vanstaen for his efforts, but he insists “no-one owes me anything”.

“I honestly don't want any recognition. I just feel if I can help people then I'm maybe making the world a better place.”

In 2011, Nobanda, now 31, was caught at the Bangkok airport with 650g of cocaine mixed with baking powder woven into her dreadlocks.

She was sentenced to 30 years in prison, which was later commuted to a 15-year-sentence. Her release from Bangkok's Klong Prem prison earlier this month came as a result of a prisoner amnesty granted by the Thai king.