By Humairaa Mayet
A South African citizen living in Bahrain returned to the country at the beginning of March to renew her passport. Typically, this is done in a South African embassy in a foreign country, but Bahrain does not have one, and the closest embassy – Riyadh – can take up to six months to renew a passport.
Usually, passports are renewed by the Department of Home Affairs within one week, yet Wajieda Tabassum Ahmed waited seven weeks for hers. Although the lockdown was not yet implemented when she arrived in South Africa, Wajieda had not received her passport by 26 March, when the lockdown officially began.
Emotional Wajieda Tabassum Ahmed spoke to Salaamedia’s Maryam Mkwanda about her ordeal.
She has been in Cape Town for over 60 days with nowhere to go, living out of a suitcase.
At the beginning of March, Wajieda did not receive her passport due to what Home Affairs dubbed a “technical problem”. Even though passports are not classified as essential, she emailed departments incessantly until she received it, as she plans on leaving for Bahrain as soon as the lockdown is lifted.
The state of Bahrain has grated Wajieda permission to enter under these incredibly trying circumstances, yet South Africa has not matched this. Tearfully, she pleaded that the government allows her to leave for Bahrain as soon as possible.
In a heartfelt moment, she explained how much she misses her husband and 18-month-old daughter who “needs her mother”.
Watch the full interview here:
Featured image via FreePik.