WATCH | SA citizens stranded in Cambodia beg to be repatriated

A group of SA teachers stranded in Cambodia, Asia, is pleading to be repatriated.

The group said they have been without salaries since March after the country went into lockdown and schools are only expected to reopen later this year.

The group, through a crowdfunding page, is asking for anything from R1 to help raise funds for a possible repatriation flight to get them home. So far, the group has raised just R4,473.

“Many South Africans have been left stranded and jobless, and that is putting it quite lightly,” said the group on the page.

“Schools closed down and some of us are still lucky to be earning 25% of their salary, which essentially is not enough to get by in a foreign country with no help from family, close relatives, or our government for that matter.

“We are all now asking for your help to donate to us so that we can get one last repatriation flight out of the country and come home.

“Due to the financial constraints that have befallen on some, they cannot pay for a repatriation flight back home, with your help, you can help us come home,” the group added.

Watch their plea video below.

The department of international relations & co-operation (Dirco) said in its latest newsletter it had repatriated over 11,000 citizens from neighbouring states.

“More South Africans were repatriated from Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, France, China, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Angola, Sudan, Congo, Australia, Mozambique, Spain, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. In line with the regulations, all repatriated citizens have been transferred to various quarantine sites,” said the department.

The last repatriations were on June 25 when 51 South Africans were flown home from Nigeria and and another 32 from Zimbabwe.

“South Africans abroad requiring repatriation have been encouraged to contact SA embassies to enable the department to assess the demand in each country.”