South African man Xolani Fongo stranded in Cambodia
Photo sourced via Twitter @joy_zelda
SA man STRANDED in Cambodia after being lured by job scam
Family and friends of Xolani Fongo are raising funds to bring him back home, after leaving for what he believed was a legitimate job abroad
South African man Xolani Fongo stranded in Cambodia
Photo sourced via Twitter @joy_zelda
The family of Xolani Sidwell Fongo, a South African man currently in Cambodia, is pinning its hopes on the public to help bring him back to the country unharmed.
The 29-year-old from Theunissen in the Free State left South Africa for Thailand in November 2022 after being offered a job which turned out to be a scam.
ALSO READ: DIRCO sounds alarm on overseas jobs as youth fall for scams
FUNDS BEING RAISED FOR XOLANI FONGO
When Xolani Fongo landed in Thailand, he soon realised the job he had flown all that way for was non-existent and claims he was then illegally taken to Myanmar – work in another scam which involves targeting wealthy American men. Still believing he could salvage the situation, Fongo moved to Cambodia, where he got a job, which also turned out to be a scam.
Neo Tsoali, a community member helping the Fongo family raise funds for his return, has told IOL they have so far managed to raise more than R15 000 – part of which still needs to go towards Xolani’s overstay.
“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,’’ Tsoai is quoted as having told the publication.
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DIRCO ISSUES WARNING OVER JOB SCAMS OVERSEAS
Just recently, a young Limpopo woman became the victim of a job scam in Thailand, prompting the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to once again sound the alarm over such incidents. DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela has urged young people to contact the department first to ensure a job they have secured overseas is legitimate.
“Please warn young people in your circles not to fall for these scams. Contact DIRCO before you accept overseas job offers. Human trafficking is real. I’ve alerted our Consular Services team to attend to the two cases. Download the DIRCO Travel Smart App from your App Store,” he said.
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