Home for Christmas: seven SA English teachers detained in China

Tristan-Lee Niemand and six other South Africans have completed their detention period and are expected to be deported back home, the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) said on Tuesday.

The seven should be home before Christmas.

Niemand had been detained in Nanjing City since November 2017.

Dirco spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said that the South African mission in Shanghai had told minister of international relations and cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu about their release.

Mabaya said the arrangement was that the school that employed the seven as English teachers should pay for their flights back to SA. They are expected to return before Friday, December 21 2018.

It has been an ongoing battle for the Niemand family who have fought tirelessly to get their daughter released. The family have had no contact with her since she was detained.

Niemand took the English-teaching job in China through an agency which promised to give her a work visa on arrival. She was travelling on a student visa.

Mabaya said they had informed Niemand's mother, Stacey Lee, about the "latest positive developments".

Eight other South Africans  stranded in Zhejiang will also be deported back to the country on December 23 2018.

Sisulu had urged South Africans travelling to China and other countries to ensure that they have the correct visas and required travel documents.

"I am happy that the ordeal is over for the families, again we urge our young people to make sure they have correct documents and to contact the embassies to verify any information they receive from recruitment agencies," Sisulu said.