The South African-born mother lost 10 BMI points during her fight to remain in New Zealand – Photo: Facebook
The South African-born mother lost 10 BMI points during her fight to remain in New Zealand – Photo: Facebook
An SA national, who recently moved to New Zealand with her husband and young children, has confirmed that she’s successfully overturned a government decision to reject her residency application – after immigration officials told the mother that she was ‘too fat’ to remain in the country.
The jaw-dropping ordeal has left Mondelea Bezuidenhout heart-broken, but her steely determination ended up winning this battle. The 35-year-old appealed the decision, while working tirelessly to lose weight and prove just how willing she was to keep the life she had built for herself overseas.
Her story, in the face of extreme adversity, is an awe-inspiring one:
The Bezuidenhouts were granted their residency permits back in December, but only went public with the news this month. Mondelea has since revealed just how tough the entire process had been:
“I’m overwhelmed not just because of the decision, but because I felt really listened to and understood, finally… someone in the Government saw my side of the story, how hard I had worked, without even meeting me. This process has been really hard, it’s taken a toll on us. What happened was hurtful.”
Mondelea Bezuidenhout
Ultimately, they got their happy ending. For now, the South African brood can look forward to many happy years in New Zealand. Mondelea remains fit and active, and her weight loss journey is still ongoing.
“The journey we had to go through wasn’t easy but I’m so thankful for every single person that kept us in their prayers. At the end of the day, God has never failed me yet. Our hearts are still healing, but we are celebrating the victory and looking forward to a bright future. My High School motto, ‘persevere and overcome’, kept me going.”
Mondelea Bezuidenhout