“God Made a Way”: Nigerian Mum Flies Home With Kids Before 30 June Deadline

• A Nigerian nail technician living in South Africa made the difficult decision to pack up and fly home with her children before the 30 June anti-immigration deadline
• The video of her journey from South Africa back to Nigeria, reuniting with family, went viral
• While some South Africans apologised for what she experienced, others had very different reactions, sparking a wider conversation about the immigration situation

A Nigerian mother of three has shared her story of leaving South Africa before the 30 June deadline. The nail technician who had been living in South Africa posted the clip on 20 June 2026, saying:

"We thank God for bringing us back safely from South Africa 🇿🇦. We made the difficult decision to leave before June 30th due to the threats and uncertainty surrounding foreigners. Despite everything, God protected us and brought us home 🇳🇬 alive and in good health."

The video showed her and her three children with their bags packed, heading to the airport. From there, the clip followed their journey onto the plane and finally reuniting with family members in Nigeria.

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Far from being a tearful goodbye, the children looked excited throughout, and the reunion with family back home was warm and welcoming.

Why she chose to leave South Africa

The growing tension around the 30 June deadline set by anti-immigration groups has pushed many foreign nationals to leave the country voluntarily rather than wait to see what happens.

South Africa's police have been placed on heightened alert across all provinces, with the acting police minister warning that violence, intimidation and any attempt to undermine public safety will not be tolerated.

The military has also been put on standby to secure strategic sites if needed.

At least two people have already died in xenophobic attacks in recent weeks, and several African countries have sent aircraft to bring their nationals home.

The June 30 deadline, set by protest groups including March and March, carries no legal weight but has created widespread fear among foreign nationals living in South Africa.

Watch the Instagram clip here.

Netizens debate the woman's choice

The comments section on the woman's Instagram page showed the country's divided feelings on the matter:

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@presh_nl wrote:

"I'm South African and I'm very sorry 💔"

@mangiemakh wrote:

"May the God of peace fill your hearts and minds as you transition in this journey, mama 🤗❤️"

@kimjansen777 said:

"From a South African who feels so stuck, I'm so sorry. There are so many of us who feel hopeless knowing that while we lend our voices, there is very little we can do."

@dipped_starr wrote:

"You've never experienced being homesick clearly 🫤"

@saffasisterhood said:

"All the best on your new chapter ❤️"

@adaezealilionwu wrote:

"Thank God for safety."

@bonglatheplug said:

"Goodbye and never come back."

More on the 30 June immigration deadline

• Briefly News recently reported on acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia warning against actions targeting foreign nationals ahead of 30 June.
• The DA clarified its stance on mass deportation of illegal immigrants, and the clip went viral.
• A Nigerian man who has lived in South Africa since 2009 also posted a TikTok directly calling on Home Affairs to verify his status.

Source: Briefly News