The struggle of Lindsay Myeni, the widow of the KwaZulu-Natal rugby player murdered in America, to get South African citizenship has caught the attention of AmaZulu king MisuZulu kaZwelithini.
This comes after the monarch penned a letter inquiring from the government how Lindani
Myeni’s widow could be assisted with citizenship for a permanent stay in the country.
“I’ve had an encounter with Lisa Lindsay Myeni, whose husband was murdered by police in Hawaii, America, the late rugby player from KwaZulu-Natal, Lindani Myeni,” reads the letter from the Zulu monarch in part.
“Upon the murder of one of our own, Lindsay was left with two children. She wants to raise them in her husband’s country, where she is safe. They must know their father’s language and culture,” the letter states.
The murder of Myeni of eSikhaleni, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, in April 14 last year sent shock waves in the US and South Africa as it was classified as racially motivated.
Myeni had walked into an immediate neighbour’s house when he was accused of being an intruder. The police at the scene defended the murder, saying it was self-defence.
They were also exonerated of the cold-blooded killing.
Lindsay said in an interview with Sunday World she applied several times for a relative visa to be facilitated for her to become a South African citizen, enabling her to raise her two children in the country but it was was declined by home affairs.
In the latest letter from home affairs to Lindsay, seen by this paper, among the reasons Lindsay’s relative visa was not granted was that she appears on the visa entry stop list and that she failed to submit a letter of good cause when she applied.
Lindsay is, however, adamant that she was unduly rejected.
Lindsay poured her heart out, saying it had been an uphill battle trying to get South African citizenship so that she can raise her two minor children in the ancestral land of their father . The couple has a son Nsizwa and daughter Nandi.
“When I came back to South Africa, the government made a promise I will be granted citizenship because of the concerns around my safety. I bought a house in South Africa. I’ve been in the country for more than five years and my children are South African,” she said.
Home affairs ministry spokesperson Siya Qoza said: “Ms Lindsey Myeni is being assisted by the department of home affairs to regularise her stay in South Africa. All the necessary procedures are being followed to offer her support.
“The department has been in contact with Ms Myeni and informed her that all she needs to do is submit an appeal, and it will be speedily attended to.”
Lindsay also lamented the prospects of having to go to the US to visit her family, not discounting the possibility of crossing paths with his murderer.
“The island itself is a small place. I don’t feel safe to go and visit my family in America. I could easily meet the person who murdered my husband.
“He is armed because he is still working as a police officer. He killed my husband for being black and my kids are not safe because they too are considered black,” she said.
Lindsay said it was her wish to keep the memory of her late husband alive and she planned to start a foundation carrying Lindani Myeni’s name.
“I’m also writing a book on our love and how we met. It will also be talking to how difficult it is for me since there was no closure on the case.”
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