SA Man Reunited With His Family After Being Stuck Cambodia After Job Scam, Mzansi Overjoyed He’s Home Safe
- The Free State man who was stuck in Cambodia is finally home safely in South Africa
- Xolani Fongo was lured to Thailand with a job offer that ended up being a scam
- A group of concerned citizens banded together and crowd-funded over R40 000 to get Fongo home
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JOHANNESBURG - A Free State man has finally been reunited with his family after enduring a gruelling ordeal that left him stranded in Southeast Asia.
Source: UGC
Xolani Fongo crept into South African hearts after sharing how he was lured to Thailand with the promise of lawful employment, only to be bound from one job scam to another in Cambodia and Thailand.
Xolani Fongo greeted by family after landing in South Africa
The 29-year-old's ordeal is finally over, with Fongo landing safely back on South African soil at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, 21 June, IOL reported.
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Speaking to his family, who feared for his safety, and community members after he landed at the airport, Fongo gave an appreciative and emotional address.
Fongo said:
"There were days when I thought I would never come back home. Sometimes I would find myself crying and praying to God that he opens a way for me to come back home."
Free State man lured to Cambodia in job scam
The 29-year-old boarded a plane to Thailand in November 2022 when he received an email from a man claiming to be a recruiter for Huilong Technology, a Chinese marketing company based in Thailand.
The man, who identified himself as John Thomas, offered him a job as a customer screening specialist. However, when he arrived in Thailand, Fongo realised things weren't as they seemed, The South African reported.
He was illegally transported to Myanmar, where he was forced to scam wealthy US men. The Free State native fled to Cambodia, where he got another job, but it turned out to be yet another scam.
Concerned SA citizens rally to get Xolani Fongo home
After telling his story and making an impassioned plea, A group of concerned South Africans started a fun-raising initiative to get Fongo home.
Within a week, R40 000 was raised, which was used to buy a plane ticket, pay for Fongo's overstay because his visa expired in March and cover all expenses.
Speaking to Briefly News, an emotional Fongo shared how much the help he received from his fellow South Africans meant to him.
Fongo said:
"I'm overwhelmed with joy, I never thought it would turn out this way. I received support and love."
Now that the man is home safe, he plans to pick up the pieces by going back to school or starting a business.
"I'm planning on completing my BSc Geology degree if I got the bursary. If not, I will push for my registered business and get the funding. Most of the youth in my hometown they are hoping that I should start a business and hire them," Fongo revealed.
South Africans are overjoyed that Xolani Fongo returned home safely
Below Are some comments:
Jacky Ramasika said:
"Welcome back home, son, just glad you made it back home."
Michelle Bezuidenhout commented:
"Welcome home, glad you made it home safe. Many aren't so lucky these days."
Seipati Pheko celebrated:
"Wow, happy for him."
Rose Kgabu added:
"Thank God he came home."
Khotso Stevens claimed:
"Glad he's back home that's what really matters."
Trevor Sutton stated:
"God is good, all the time, God is good."
SA blames high unemployment after man gets stuck in Asia following job scam
Previously, Briefly News reported that South Africans are on edge after a Free State man's terrifying ordeal went viral and have blamed the entire situation on unemployment.
Xolani Sidwel Fongo left South Africa with high hopes of gainful employment after a Chinese recruiter offered him a job.
It wasn't long until Fongo realised he had been lured into a scam as the job his new recruiter wanted him to do wasn't the one he was promised.
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Source: Briefly News
