Stranded South Africans sing UAE national anthem
UAE residents desperate to come ‘home’
South African expats stranded back home have made a video of themselves singing the UAE national anthem in a desperate plea for help to return to the UAE.
The video titled ‘Bring Us Home! The faces of UAE residents stuck abroad! Our plea from South Africa’ features a cover song by Reena Cahoon of Coming Home – Skylar Grey. While the anthem has been hummed by parents in South Africa, their children have sung the lyrics.
According to Kimberly Ross, 30, who started a WhatsApp group to gather UAE residents in South Africa, as of May 19, there were over 400 stranded expats in the country. “We want to come back to the UAE, it is our home,” she said.
Kimberly is unsure if she and her husband Ross Horwitz, 28, qualify for the first batch of stranded expats returning to UAE.
“Our situation is critical,” Ross said. “My wife has been diagnosed with a critical illness called Lyme disease. She has been bedridden for some time.”
The couple left over two months ago for Cape Town to celebrate their wedding with family and friends. They have been stuck there since due to flight suspensions.
Other expats are in a
similar predicament. Geomaure came to South Africa to give birth to her son. Her husband stayed behind in the UAE for work. She has been unable to return to UAE with her baby. “My baby has not met his father yet!” she said.
Samantha is stuck with her two children, Matthew, 9, and Jennifer, 7. They are staying with her elderly parents in a one-bedroom flat. Samantha has lost her job as a teaching assistant and her husband is supporting the family. “I beg you to please bring my children and me back to the UAE — our home which we miss dearly”, she said.