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A heavily-pregnant Kiwi stranded in South Africa and running out of time to find a way back home before she couldn't fly, is back in New Zealand and sending a message of hope to those she's left behind.
After a gruelling 70-hour flight through Doha and Sydney, New Zealander Kimberly Aukett, 38, and fiance Wyatt Murphy, 25, have arrived in Auckland this week not quite believing they are finally here.
The couple, in a race against time to secure a seat out of South Africa on a commercial Qatar Airways flight before Aukett's advanced pregnancy meant she only had a four week window left to fly, said they were incredibly exhausted but happy.
"We're so lucky we got our flight," the mum-to-be told the Herald today.
"It's an overwhelming sense of 'we've made it' and everything is going to be okay. We basically accomplished the impossible really."
Now in managed isolation in Auckland, Aukett, who is 28 weeks pregnant, was looking forward to reuniting with family and friends in Hawke's Bay in a fortnight's time.
"My mum is over the moon and can't wait to see us and see the baby bump. It's been a long time.
"I can't wait to walk into my own home and start setting it up for a family."
But her thoughts weren't far from the hundreds of Kiwis and visa holders that remain stranded in the African continent, pinning their hopes on a private repatriation flight that is still to get the green light from New Zealand transport authorities.
With no seats available on commercial airlines for the rest of August and September, those wishing to fly to this part of the world say the Maple Aviation flight is their best chance of getting home.
It has been given clearance from South African transport authorities to leave and return, flying to New Zealand via Jakarta, but authorities here have not given permission for the craft to land. Instead they are focusing on working with commercial or government flights to bring home Kiwis in an ordered and manageable way.
Aukett says every day the chartered Maple Aviation remained grounded the desperation mounted among the 185 Kiwis and visa holders waiting on word it could take off.
It was important those Kiwis in South Africa who wanted to come home were not forgotten.
"Keep hope. There are people fighting for you," she said.
"They're jumping through all of the hoops and they're not giving up hope that it will happen."
Kimberly Aukett and her fiance Wyatt Murphy managed to get a commercial flight back to New Zealand at the weekend. Photo / Supplied
One of the scores of Kiwis and visa holders hoping the flight leaves is mum of two Kathrine Noyle, who is "beyond desperate".
The essential worker travelled with her two primary-age daughters to South Africa late last year to visit her mother who had been diagnosed with motor neuron disease.
The trio were set to come back home in March, leaving possessions in storage and giving up their temporary home.
"Due to Covid-19, borders being closed, my children and I remained in South Africa," said Noyle.
"My mum passed away six weeks ago and since the day my mother passed away and after a Zoom funeral I have fought to get my children and myself home.
"I have not had the chance to mourn my mother," said the respite carer.
"I have only the ability to protect my children, who have now been out of school since November 2019. My husband is stuck alone on the other side of the world trying to support us.
A New Zealand child stranded in South Africa draws a special message to the Government to let family be reunited. Image / Supplied
"I'm at my end now... after more research today and phone calls I literally don't know when or how I am going to get our family together again."
She said attempts to get home on earlier repatriation and commercial flights were thwarted, with border restrictions preventing the family from flying back twice this month and no seats available throughout September.
The chartered Maple Aviation repatriation flight was her last chance to get home.
"I have been a supporter of the health and wellness of all people, I don't necessarily believe that the 'theory' of lockdown has been bad. I have obeyed the laws, received all the permissions necessary. I have done everything right.
"Please shed some light on this story so that we can come home, so my children can come home, so that my husband can see his children again."
She included two pictures and heartfelt words penned by her children to show how desperate the situation had become. Her children haven't seen their father in more than 258 days and counting.
The heartbreaking message of a little girl missing her home and her father. Image / Supplied
Another mum of three, Jacqui Jubber, who was due to follow her husband to New Zealand after he arrived here in January, said it was "a daily battle just to be reunited with my husband".
"My kids are distraught, my husband is unsure and as of Wednesday the 26th August 2020, me and my kids do not have a roof over our heads, as we had to give notice.
"How long must we all still wait, just for New Zealand to give us permission to land the plane? Our lives are at stake here, and to be quite honest, how much more must we suffer?" she asked.
Jaco Laubscher was also part of the group of 185 husbands, wives and children who had been separated from their partners for the last seven months.
He said the situation was growing increasingly dire by the day.
Many in the group had entry dates on their visas that expired at the end of August. Some also had jobs that employers were only keeping until the end of this month.
"For us, it is simply about being together as a family. Something we have not been able to do for seven long months now."
