Pretoria - The family of a 29-year-old Free State man who left South Africa after he was offered a job in Thailand which turned out to be a scam, is pleading for public help to bring him back as he is now stuck in Cambodia.
The family of Xolani Sidwell Fongo said they were fearing for his life and had exhausted all diplomatic channels to bring him back.
“After IOL published his story, the media that side took it and published it as their own and we believe he’s now being targeted, he’s no longer safe. We need help to bring him back,” said a family friend.
Fongo left South Africa in November 2022 after receiving an email from a man who identified himself as John Thomas, claiming to be a recruiter for Huilong Technology, a Chinese marketing company supposedly based in Thailand.
He was offered a job to work as customer screening specialist in Thailand.
The alleged scammer made him an offer claiming to have seen his profile on Pnet.
It was only when Fongo arrived in Thailand that he realised something was amiss.
He was illegally taken to Myanmar and when he got there, he said he was forced to work in a scam which involved targeting wealthy US men.
He left Myanmar and got another job in Cambodia and it also turned out to be a scam.
Neo Tsoai, a community member who is in charge of the fund-raising group for Fongo’s safe return, said he saw his plea on social media and decided to intervene.
“Xolani is a humble, honest and hard-working person. That is why we immediately felt the need to do something for one of our own… We must understand that being an immigrant in a foreign country is difficult on its own, now being an illegal one makes it worse, particularly in countries such Cambodia where violent crimes against foreigners are common,’’ he said.
Tsoai added that so far, they had managed to raise over R15 000 and more money was still needed to pay for Fongo’s overstay.
He said an overstay was charged at $10 (R181.89) per day and Fongo had to pay for more (than) 72 days, which can easily add up to R14 000.
“We appeal to all South Africans to take a role in this beautiful initiative of bringing back our fellow South African,” he said.
To help Xolani, click on the link below:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Bf2oqdREmmaEatFFDX8KtR
Or contact Neo Tsoai on 068 012 2547.
IOL