The family of an 81-year-old grandmother facing deportation from Australia say the move could be fatal – warning she won’t survive alone in South Africa.
Erika Power, along with her husband and their four children, live in Rochedale South, about 20km south of Brisbane.
Ms Power’s 81-year-old mother Elizabeth, who is originally from South Africa, has also lived with the family for the past 17 years.
In that time, she has been like a second mother to her four grandchildren and has developed a special bond with them as she watched them grow up.
The 81-year-old has also patiently waited 17 years for her permanent residency visa to be processed and approved.
Ms Power told Daily Mail she and her husband had been appointed her mother’s Assurer of Support, a legal agreement in which an individual provides financial support to a migrant instead of the government.
Those assurers need to meet income requirements and pay a term deposit or bank guarantee – with the latter typically ranging between $5,000 to $14,000.
But, after Ms Power’s husband lost his job the family can no longer spare the $5,000 required by the tribunal court as a bond by October 31.
Elizabeth, who is originally from South Africa, has been living with her daughter for the past 17 years, could be deported from Australia if her family can’t raise $5,000
Elizabeth, 81, is pictured with her four grandchildren in Logan, Queensland
If the bond is not paid, Ms Power was told her mother will be given 14 days to leave Australia for good.
She said the situation had put a strain on the family, as her children face losing their grandmother, whom they affectionately call ‘Ouma’.
‘It’s just a very stressful situation. There’s been a lot of tears because none of us, especially the kids, want to lose her,’ she said.
‘My mother has also been in tears because she doesn’t know where to go. The problem is she has nobody in South Africa.
‘My father passed away. My sister passed away. I’m the only living relative.’
Ms Power said if her mother was forced to move back to South Africa she wouldn’t be able to survive on her own.
‘She doesn’t even have enough income herself to rent a place on her own,’ she said.
‘She doesn’t even drive. She would not be able to travel from her accommodation, which she can’t afford, to the shops.
Ms Power (pictured with her mother) said the family are in tears as her mother might be forced back to South Africa with no family, no support and nowhere to live
‘There are no taxis or public buses. How does she get food?
‘And we can’t afford to pay her accommodation on the other side of the world, as well as accommodation for our own family in Australia.
‘We just don’t have that kind of money.’
Ms Power added that her application for a bank loan had been unsuccessful.
She said her husband was trying to sell some items online and was working as an Uber driver to try and save enough money for the bond.
But their efforts were ‘just not enough’ to raise $5,000 in such a short period of time.
In a last-ditch effort, the family have started a GoFundMe, which at the time of writing has raised $3,981 of the $5,000 goal.
Ms Power said she has been overwhelmed with the generosity from Australians, claiming the support has moved them to tears.
‘I’ve been really, really so amazed people’s generosity trying to help her because they understand that she’s nowhere to go,’ she said.
‘Every time I tell my mum that another person gave $10 or whatever, she’s in tears. She says “oh my gosh, these people are helping me”.’
