Another South African teacher dies in China… family needs R300 000 to repatriate her body

Siphosethu Mqokozo

Cape Town – The government has reportedly urged travellers from South Africa to acquire travel insurance whenever they travel – this after Siphosethu Mqokozo died in China while working as a teacher.

According to News24, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela emphasised the importance of South Africans travelling or living abroad to register with the local embassies.

Her death brought the number of people who have died whilst working or studying in China to four within the past 2-years, Kaya959 reported.

In July, the body of another South African teacher NomaQocwa Blackie was repatriated after a three months long repatriation battle with the Chinese authority.

Blackie from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape was also an English teacher in China since 2017.

She died of unknown causes in her Shanghai flat.

Monyela said that it was not the department’s duty to repatriate South Africans who died abroad.

“That is why we encourage people to get travel insurance when they travel. That is what the consular services’ policy says,” he said.

According to reports,  Mqokozo died on her way to the hospital after having a panic attack.

Mqokozo’s family needed R300 000 to bring her back to South Africa. Various crowd-funding initiatives have been set up.

“Greetings The family of Siphosethu Mqokozo humble request your moral support in their campaign of bringing their daughter home South Africa from China where she was serving as an English Educator. The Mqokozo Family is in deep need of financial assistance to repatriate the mortal remains of their daughter to her place of birth Lady Free in Vaalbank Eastern Cape,” one Tweet read.

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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin

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