The mother of a KwaZulu-Natal medical student who died overseas expressed gratitude for the opportunity to give her daughter a befitting funeral.
Sinegugu Myeni, 28, died in the Philippines while attempting to return home to Utrecht in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
A video of her mother pleading for help in repatriating her daughter went viral on social media.
The KwaZulu-Natal government has recently stepped forward to help the family.
Lindiwe Myeni, Myeni’s mother, said the South African ambassador in the Philippines told her that bringing her daughter’s body back to South Africa would cost roughly R2 million, and even offered her the option of burying her abroad.
The mother, however, expressed relief that she will be able to bid farewell to the child after the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office promised to assist the family.
“I am thankful that government departments, especially the premier’s office, for sending people to our homes and assuring us that help will be provided to us in burying our child.”
The Premier’s Office in KwaZulu-Natal said it was working with the Department of Foreign Affairs to return the student’s body to South Africa.
