South African mother facing deportation found in Britain

A SOUTH AFRICAN mother-of-two who was due to be deported on Saturday has fled to Britain, gardaí confirmed last night.

There was major concern for the safety of 38-year-old Nteta Appiakorang, who has a life-threatening illness, when she went missing early on Saturday. Gardaí and members of the Kerry Mountain Rescue team spent most of yesterday searching rural areas but found no trace of her up to teatime.

Last night, however, a garda spokesperson said they had discovered that she was in Britain. It is believed Ms Appiakorang is in the London area and she is understood to be safe and well.

Gardaí will follow up on the matter but it is unclear whether she will have to be brought back to Ireland and deported, which was due to happen on Saturday.

Her children, Senia,11, and Yesunia, 8, are staying with her friend, Cara Wallace-Costello, at her home at Gransha Upper, Castlemaine, Co Kerry.

“She had very legitimate reasons for not going back to South Africa and there were a lot of people here trying to stop her deportation,” Ms Wallace-Costello said.

Ms Appiakorang is afraid to return to South Africa, because she says her husband and son were murdered there because of their tribal and political beliefs. An ethnic Zulu, she claims she would be in danger if sent back, as her husband had once been involved in the Inkatha movement, which has clashed with the ruling African National Congress.

The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has criticised the Government for refusing to allow Ms Appiakorang remain in this country.

IRC chief executive Peter O’Mahony said she should have been allowed stay here because, through no fault of her own, she had to wait more than two years to have her application processed.