“She Must Come Back Home”: Thandeka Xaba Pleads for Urgent Visa After Sad KZN Family News, SA Moved

• Thandeka Xaba, a young woman separated from her family for over 17 years, desperately pleaded for a fast-tracked visa so she could see her ill grandmother
• Her tearful video was shared on TikTok, which gained widespread attention and an outpouring of sympathy from online viewers
• Social media users flooded the comments with offers of support, while many were shocked that she was not back yet, and asked for ways to help her return home

A young woman's emotional video plea in Abuja, Nigeria, captured the hearts of social media users, who rallied to support her.

The clip, shared by TikTok user @dudu.thobela, garnered massive views, likes, and a wave of sympathetic comments from deeply moved viewers.

Thandeka had previously shared her painful story of being taken to Nigeria by her father while she was still a toddler. Her mother was from KwaZulu-Natal, but Thandeka never saw her or her KZN family again after being taken away. In the new video, she tearfully explained that she had recently learned that her grandmother, whom she had not seen in over 17 years, was now very sick and faced the possibility of having her legs amputated.

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The visa application waiting period in Nigeria

Thandeka detailed that she went to the South African High Commission to apply for a visa, but was told the earliest available slot was after the 20th. Crying, she expressed her concern that her gogo might not have much time left and that she desperately wanted to reconnect with her, as she is her only direct link to her late mother. The young lady concluded by saying that the process had been exhausting and that she had put so much energy into trying to return to the family she was taken from.

South Africa sympathises with Thandeka

The video resonated deeply with many people who were moved by the emotional story. The comments section was flooded with messages of sympathy and support. Many expressed shock and disbelief that she had not been able to return home after the first video she shared, saying she suffered enough from being separated from her family as a child.

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Some offered practical advice, suggesting that she should go to the embassy to renew her expired South African passport instead of applying for a visa, which would make the process much faster. The video also prompted numerous offers of help, with many people asking for ways they could assist her.

User @Veronica Letlape commented:

"Askies Thandeka, we love you. Hope the high commission hears your plea."

User @Natasha Eland❣️🇿🇦 explained:

"She's a South African, her mother is a South African, and her father is Nigerian. Her father took her to Nigeria at a young age, and she's suffering there now. She's grown now and wants to come back home. ❤️I wish you all the best, girl."

User @MaZakwe said:

"She's one of our own asiwalahli amathumbu ethu (we don't throw away our own)."

User @Yaya added:

"I wish you could get help ASAP while granny is alive so she can assist with Proper documentation (Her DNA and Thandeka's will be needed SA law says at least one parent must be a South African Citizen ...may God open doors for you."

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User @MercyofGod shared:

"Thandeka, you should have renewed your SA passport at the SA embassy, then just fly straight home without a visa, because you're coming back home, or use your SA birth certificate and apply for your passport, because this visa issue with Nigerian passport is a process."

User @Miranda commented:

"South Africans, she needs our help. She must come back home."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about Nigerians

• A Zulu lady, taken by her Nigerian father to his country without her mother's knowledge, shared a video detailing the abuse she had endured, and asking South Africans to help her locate her KZN family.
• A Nigerian man visiting Soweto received a warm welcome from street vendors, who told him he was not a tourist, but a brother.
• An American woman went on a date with a man who claimed he was South African, but when she explained that he was into the Yahoo scam, locals told her he was a Nigerian brother.

Source: Briefly News