The Utrecht community mourns the tragic demise of Snegugu Ntobeko Myeni, a final year medical student in the Philippines, who passed away at a Philippine airport on 10 July 2023 while awaiting her flight back home to Utrecht, KZN.
In the wake of Snegugu’s death, a heartfelt plea from her mother, Lindiwe Myeni, reverberated across social media, urging assistance to bring her daughter’s body home for a proper burial.
Responding promptly to the viral video, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government stepped forward, pledging support and aid in the repatriation of Snegugu’s mortal remains.
On Monday morning, 17 July 2023, Director General Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize, acting on the direction of Acting Premier Nomagugu Simelane, contacted the Myeni family in Utrecht informing the family about the provincial government’s commitment to provide support.
As a result, the repatriation process has commenced, and the mortal remains of Snegugu are expected to arrive in South Africa on Saturday, 22 July at OR Tambo International Airport.
Acting Premier Nomagugu Simelane said, “As part of the preparation for the repatriation of Snegugu Myeni’s mortal remains from the Philippines, the Inter-Governmental Relations team from the Office of the Premier met with the Myeni family on 17 July. The aim was to explain the repatriation process and discuss details pertaining to the funeral arrangements.”
She further added that the team is finalising all necessary and administrative processes as part of preparing Snegugu’s mortal remains for their final journey back home.
This preparatory work is an intricate process that requires cooperation with authorities in the Philippines.
“We are working with the Department of International Relations and Co-Operation to consolidate efforts towards the repatriation of Snegugu’s mortal remains back to South Africa. We are also in communication with the Ambassador of South Africa to the Philippines in order to fast-track the process,” explained Simelane.
In addition to these efforts, Mayor Mzwakhe Buthelezi of Emadlangeni (Utrecht) paid tribute and conveyed his respects to Snegugu’s family. Mayor Buthelezi visited the Myeni family in Utrecht on Monday, 17 July 2023, on behalf of the Council and the Utrecht community at large. During the visit, he expressed heartfelt condolences and engaged in preparations for the repatriation of Snegugu’s body to her hometown for the funeral.
“We have lost yet another life that held great promise in the medical field and served as a positive role model for children in our community. We extend our deepest condolences to her mother, Mrs Lindiwe Myeni, and the entire family, as well as her friends and colleagues back in the Philippines. While we refrain from making assumptions regarding the circumstances leading to her tragic passing, we sincerely hope that all relevant departments will assist the family in finding closure regarding the actual cause of her demise,” said Buthelezi.
As the Myeni family makes preparations to bid farewell to Snegugu in a befitting burial ceremony, our thoughts and condolences are with them during this difficult time.
We invite readers to share their views and express their support for the Myeni family in the comment section below.
