"Too fat to live in our country" - Modelea tells us how NZ sent back to SA because of her weight

Loading player...
Imagine arriving in your ideal country; the place where you'd like to start a new life; and being told you should leave immediately...

Mondelea Bezuidenhout was told she should come back to South Africa for one of the most prejudice and fatphobic reasons.
The 35-year-old mother and wife immigrated from Gqeberha to New Zealand with her family in 2018, but soon after arrival was deported following a certain immigration medical assessment which described her as a “severe-risk”.
The assessment was according to body mass index (BMI) and it stated Mondelea's was too high for her to remain in the country - a decision upheld by their government.
Take a listen as she tell us how it all unfolded
24 Feb 2022 12AM English South Africa Society & Culture · Daily News

Other recent episodes

Big Favour: End of Pit Toilets in Sight for Another KZN School

This year, East Coast Breakfast has taken on the powerful mission of eradicating pit toilets in KZN schools, with the backing of LottoStar and Breadline Africa, and now in the hands of Brian Lewis, CEO of Envirosan. In the latest update, Brian checks in with another school principal and reveals…
2 Apr 2AM 2 min

Easy tips to save fuel

With fuel price increases expected from 1 April and possibly continuing into May, authorities and industry stakeholders are pointing to working from home as an immediate way for consumers to reduce travel costs and ease financial pressure.
26 Mar 12AM 2 min

Big Favour: Eradication of Pit Toilets – Three Schools Revealed!

You’ve been part of a journey with East Coast Breakfast … and it’s been nothing short of powerful. Together with LottoStar, YOU raised an incredible R1 847 500 to help eradicate pit toilets in schools, a reality thousands of children still face every single day. Then, on Tuesday morning, Marion…
24 Mar 2AM 15 min