"I was released [from quarantine] on Tuesday and arrived home on Wednesday. I have been with my son since and it was very emotional," Reginald Faulmann told News24.

The 62-year-old had been stranded in Douala, Cameroon, since 18 March.

President Cyril Ramaphosa's initial announcement of the 21-day nationwide lockdown, in a bid to minimise the spread of Covid-19, meant all international and domestic flights were prohibited, irrespective of the risk category of the country of origin.

Faulmann arrived in South Africa on Sunday, 19 April, after the government amended regulations to make provisions for repatriation flights during the lockdown. He thanked the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) for their efforts to ensure he returned to SA soil.

"When the repatriation flight of SAA was cancelled, they went the extra mile to secure a charter to bring all stranded SA people back home. They worked tirelessly to make sure that this would happen, and they kept in constant contact at all times to inform me of progress," he said.

He was placed in quarantine at the Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg, Gauteng, and was later tested for Covid-19.

Following his results, he was released, and he was able to reunite with his son.

Faulmann has been with his son, Jody, 39, since then. 

His son is terminally ill with cancer and "has very little time left".

Repatriation and evacuation flights continue during the Level 4 lockdown, but international and domestic flights remain prohibited.

News24