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WORLD NEWS Saturday 29 February 2020
Parents of 'terrified' Africans stranded in China want help

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA and Technology, recalled
and PATRICK ONEN that about two weeks ago
Associated Press a student sent a message
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — saying that "people are dy-
She wakes every day long ing here in large numbers
before dawn to chat with and the bodies are being
her three stranded daugh- cremated. Can you imag-
ters on the other side of the ine us dying here and you
world in China's locked- don't even see our bod-
down city of Wuhan, anx- ies? Please do something
ious to see they have start- before we become part of
ed a new day virus-free. the statistics."
"If I don't get a reply it wor- Other countries have an-
ries me, but if I get a reply nounced plans to send stu-
from any of them I say, dents money. Botswana's
''Thank you, Jesus,'" Marga- government has said each
ret Ntale said. of its students in Wuhan will
Many countries evacuated receive an additional al-
citizens from Wuhan after lowance of about $144 a
the virus outbreak started month and a local com-
there, but thousands of stu- In this image taken from video, Margaret Ntale, whose three student daughters are stranded in pany will be engaged to
dents from African coun- Wuhan, and Cecilia Oyet, in foreground holding cellphone, whose daughter is a medical student deliver food, water, face
tries have been left behind. at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, speak by video-call to their children and other masks and even provide
Despite pleas with gov- Ugandan students who are stranded in Wuhan, from Ntale's house in Kampala, Uganda on "psychosocial support ser-
ernments for evacuation, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Associated Press vices."
several African countries But that's not enough, some
have said it's safer to stay in of food or the money to equally terrified. It makes all "It is a bit upsetting that it students and parents say.
place. buy it. Some governments of us break down." appears no serious action After some called Ghana's
More than 4,000 African have begun sending thou- The uncertainty about their has taken place," said one government "callous" for
students have been esti- sands of dollars to help children is "psychological parent, Cecilia Oyet. "I think not evacuating its students,
mated to be in Wuhan, a them get by. torture," another parent that kind of inaction or slow President Nana Akufo-Ad-
result of China's push to ex- "I have a few friends who said. At least 70 Ugandan action sends a message to do last week said it had not
pand its influence on the are not able to get things students are stranded in those students out there, been ruled out but it would
youthful African continent. like detergent, sanitary Wuhan. and even to the youth with- be done in a way to avoid
Bringing them home, gov- towels, and then also not Uganda's health minister, in the country. It sends a "fear and panic among the
ernments say, is risky in having food, like such Jane Aceng, could not be message either that we as public."
sub-Saharan Africa, which things like that," said one reached immediately. But fellow Ugandans, we don't In Ethiopia, where some
on Friday confirmed its first of Ntale's daughters' room- two weeks ago she said care or that they as the worried families gathered
case of the virus, in Nigeria's mates, Joanna Aloyo, via a the ministry was looking at youth, they don't matter, in the capital, Addis Aba-
city of Lagos. Just two cas- messaging app. the cost to "isolate, monitor and we feel it is not okay." ba, seeking evacuations,
es have been confirmed in On Thursday, Ntale joined and manage in the event The parents communi- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
North Africa, in Egypt and other parents in Uganda's of an outbreak among the cate with their children by this week said Chinese
Algeria. Health systems can capital, Kampala, to talk to group if repatriated." phone and the occasional President Xi Jinping assured
be weak, and quarantin- local reporters about their Meanwhile she has said video chat. They are in- him in a phone call that
ing dozens or hundreds of fears. And she started to the government would creasingly alarmed as the China would provide "spe-
returning people is a major cry. send $60,000 in emergen- death toll from the virus has cial care and support" to
challenge. "You can never know what cy funds to be distributed grown, though some speak stranded students.
That leaves African stu- is going to happen tomor- among students in Wuhan. of trying to remain positive. Chinese authorities have
dents stuck on ever-emp- row. This is what scares But the parents said their Oyet, whose daughter is issued statements saying
tier campuses in Wuhan, me," Ntale said. "The stu- children had not received a medical student at Wu- students are receiving food
worrying about running out dents are traumatized and the money. han University of Science and other necessities. q

South African sentenced for racist comment that went viral

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME were no black people at a This is the second prominent
Associated Press beach in Greece where he case in which South African
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — was enjoying a vacation. courts have sentenced
South Africa has imposed a He later pleaded guilty people for racist behavior.
$3,300 fine or 2-year prison and asked for leniency with Former real estate agent
term on a man convicted the Randburg Magistrates Vicki Momberg was con-
for racist comments in a Court. Magistrate Hleziphi victed and sentenced to
video that went viral last Mkhasibe suspended the two years in prison in 2018
year. Adam Catzavelos sentence for five years, after using a slur dozens of
was charged after using a meaning it would be im- times against a black po-
derogatory word used to mediately implemented if lice officer who came to
describe black South Afri- Catzavelos commits anoth- her aid.
cans during the country's er racist act. Catzavelos told the court
racist system of apartheid The magistrate noted that he regretted his actions. He
that ended in 1994. Catzavelos and his wife In this May 28, 2019 photo, Adam Catzavelos arrives outside the said using the slur impaired
In the video, he can be had lost their jobs amid the Randburg, Johannesburg Magistrates Court. the dignity of black South
heard rejoicing that there outrage over the video. Associated Press Africans.q