“Let Him Stay”: R2 Million Fundraising Campaign for SA Teacher Held in China After Fatal Accident

• The family of a Vanderbijlpark teacher is racing to raise R2.2 million to pay compensation to a family in China after a tragic accident
• The story was shared on Facebook on February 22 2026, leaving many shocked by the massive amount of money and the legal situation the teacher is facing
• Social media users are torn, with some questioning the details of the incident while others are defending the family’s desperate plea for help

Francois van Zyl de Kock’s family from Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, is in a race against time to bring their loved one home from China.

A post shared on Facebook by SurgeZirc SA details that the family launched a fundraising campaign to raise 880,000 RMB (R2.2 million) in compensation following a fatal traffic incident in Wuhan.

Francois, a teacher who moved to Wuhan to pursue his passion for coaching rugby, has been detained for three months. The incident reportedly occurred on a rainy evening on August 3 2025. While travelling home on an electric scooter, Francois allegedly hit an elderly woman.

Read also

"They found us": Family's deceased body saga with Capitec gets international attention, SA stunned

The deceased woman's family seeks financial compensation

It is reported on Facebook by SurgeZirc SA's post that at the time, he was unaware that there had been contact and continued his ride. Authorities later confirmed that the woman passed away from her injuries a month later. He now faces a potential sentence of three to four years in prison, in addition to the massive 880,000 RMB claim from the deceased woman’s family.

See the Facebook post below:

SA reacts to the compensation news

The post gained massive views and sparked a huge debate across social media. Many viewers were stunned by the news, with some pointing out that the story sounded off. They were disturbed by the part about him not realising he had hit someone. Some were overwhelmed by the R2.2 million figure, calling it an impossible goal. Others, however, came to the family's defence, blasting negative commenters and telling them to ignore the post if they weren't willing to offer support.

Read also

Amapiano star Young Stunna showers fans with money in viral video

User @Matthew Russell commented:

"If I read this article correctly, he hit an old person with his scooter and continued driving and thought he didn't. Either the article is badly written, or it was a hit-and-run."

User @Hannes Swanepoel said:

"Story sounds off. He didn't hit her and kept driving, so why was he arrested 🤔?"

User @Neville Felix shared:

"I think if you can't help, why comment on these dusty comments? It's an accident he did not plan it, it can happen to anyone."

User @Sharon Sevier added:

"R2.2mil? Let him stay there 😭 🚶. We don't have money."

User @Ronel Van Reenen said:

"Lord, please help 😭."

User @Jacob Buti commented:

"We have no time to play marbles."

3 Briefly News prison-related articles

• A content creator shared a video of a man wearing a yellow prison overall, showing off his meal and expressing his dissatisfaction with the contents provided behind bars.
• A heart-wrenching video captured the exact moment a teenager reunited with her father nearly fourteen years after he was incarcerated.
• A young woman shared a video of her emotional journey to visit her imprisoned partner, highlighting the tough reality of visiting a prison.

Source: Briefly News