Khanya Veliso died on Monday, 11 March following a ‘short illness’. Image: GoFundMe
UK friends raise funds to send SA man’s body back to the Eastern Cape
Friends of a young South African man who died of a ‘short illness’ in the UK have decided to raise funds to help send his body back home.
Khanya Veliso died on Monday, 11 March following a ‘short illness’. Image: GoFundMe
Two friends of Khanya Veliso, who died of a ‘short illness’, have honored his memory by raising over £1 500 (R35 000) to repatriate him to the Eastern Cape.
As of Saturday, the GoFundMe page for Veliso had so far raised £1 628 towards the £3 000 goal (R72 000).
Khanya Veliso, 21, was born in South Africa but lived with his close family in Tidworth, Wiltshire in England.
He worked at Burger King and has been described as “a beautiful person inside and out”.
A mysterious ‘short illness’
Veliso died on Monday, 11 March following a “short illness”.
The young South African’s family, with the help of his close friends, have been trying to raise funds to repatriate Veliso to the Eastern Cape.
While awaiting Khanya’s postmortem results, father Lucas Bonela told the Salisbury Journal: “Khanya was a very happy boy who got along with everyone.”
“He was a very respectful child and would do everything you asked of him with a smile on his face.”
Veliso left behind two siblings whom he “loved so much”.
His colleague Aimee Pritchard remembered him fondly, and paid tribute to the “gentle” man who would “light up” any room.
“[Khanya] was energetic and always had something to say back to make everyone laugh,” Pritchard said. “If you ever needed anything or if you were feeling down, he’d cheer you up straight away.”
“He was such a beautiful person inside and out. He had his whole life ahead of him.”
The last time Pritchard saw Veliso was at the Kings Arms pub in Amesbury on Friday, 8 March.
“He didn’t really speak of any illness or look ill in any way … he was happy then,” she said.
Pair raise funds to help family
After seeing how devastated Veliso’s family were, Pritchard and Chloe Harnan set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds to support his family.
The pair were overwhelmed by the response from over 100 donors.
“I’m still so grateful for everything people have done,” added Pritchard. “We did not think we’d raise anything compared to what we have.”
