Tristan-Lee Niemand, the Eastern Cape teenager detained in a Chinese jail for a month because of issues around her work permit, will be home for Christmas.
On Tuesday, her nightmare ended when the SA department of international relations & corporation (Dirco) announced that Tristan-Lee and six other South Africans had been released from prison and would be deported.
Her mom, Stacey-Lee Niemand, of Sunrise-on-Sea outside East London, reacted: “All I am looking forward to is to hold her in my arms.
I am so excited, all the time spent crying has finally ended.” She was immediately going to go shopping for her daughter’s Christmas present.
The seven were detained shortly after leaving SA to teach English in China without the proper work permits,Tristan-Lee is expected to be deported to SA before Friday.
The 19-year-old former Lilyfontein High School pupil arrived in China on October 14 and was arrested on November 16 during a sting operation.During her arrest, Tristan had not even received her first monthly pay of 11,500 Chinese Yuan (or R22,969).
The last message the family received from Tristan-Lee on the day of the arrest read: “Dad, the police are here to take us in, so I can’t talk”.
According to Dirco, she was among 48 South African citizens detained across China for being in the country on the wrong visa.In a statement on Tuesday, Dirco’s spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said the South African mission in Shanghai had informed the department’s minister, Lindiwe Sisulu that the seven South African nationals in Jiangsu province had “completed their detention period” and would be released and deported back to SA.Mabaya said the arrangement was that the school that employed the seven as English teachers had to provide the return tickets for the flight home.
“The minister has also been informed that another eight South Africans who have been in distress in Zhejiang province, will be deported on December 23 and arrangements for their travel will be co-ordinated as soon as they are released,” said Mabaya.Speaking to the Dispatch from her coastal home, Stacey-Lee said she could not wait to hug her daughter.
The joyful sounds of laughter could be heard in the background during the phone call.
The jovial mother thanked the Daily Dispatch for the reportage. She thanked her partner, Wayne Truter, for being her support system throughout the ordeal.“We now have to buy an extra Christmas present for Tristan-Lee.
I still don’t know what to get her,” she said before bursting into laughter.The family has since stopped the “Bring Back Tristan” fundraising campaign that was launched on the Backabuddy fundraising platform where just more than R50,000 was raised.
Her mom said the funds raised would be used to pay for trauma counselling for Tristan-Lee. Despite this ordeal, Stacey-Lee said she would still support her daughter if she wanted to take up a teaching job outside the country.“I don’t want her to become despondent, but to be more careful,” she said.
Sisulu said she was happy the ordeal was over for the families.“Again we urge our young people to make sure they have correct documents and to contact the embassies to verify any information they receive from recruitment agencies,” said Sisulu.Mabaya said the South African diplomats in China would continue to liaise with schools and local authorities to ensure all travel arrangements were finalised...