A South African teacher is missing in Myanmar following the deadly earthquake that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives.
This was revealed by a fellow teacher based in Mandalay, one of the hardest-hit areas.
On Friday, Myanmar was struck by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, followed by a powerful 6.4-magnitude aftershock. By Monday, reports confirmed the death toll had surpassed 2,000, with rescue teams still searching for survivors.
Smangele Motloung, an English teacher at King’s Valley International School (KVIS), said she and three other South African teachers in the city had survived but could not reach one of their colleagues.
“There are four South Africans (including myself) that I know of so far here in Mandalay, but one cannot be reached. She works at HCIS (Higher Champs International School),” Motloung said.
The missing teacher’s name is being withheld as authorities try to determine what happened to her, and her family has not yet been notified.
Motloung said the aftershocks had subsided, but they were still in desperate need of help.
“We could really use aid,” she said. “Other foreign nationals are receiving help from their embassies, but we as South Africans are not. We are trying to get in touch with anyone who can assist.”
She said many South Africans in Myanmar had reached out to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) but had received little response.
On Sunday, Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said the government has sent its ambassador, Darkey Ephraim Africa, to Thailand to assist the country’s citizens who maybe stuck in Myanmar following an earthquake.
However, by Monday, Motloung said they had still not received help.
Phiri explained that engaging with Myanmar authorities was complicated because South Africa does not officially recognise the country’s military-led government.
“We are relying on Thai authorities to relay information and on South Africans themselves to notify us of their whereabouts,” he said.
He added that the government was assessing reports that at least two South Africans had not been able to contact relatives since the earthquake.
“We have requested our mission to verify this information, and we are waiting for feedback,” he said.
Myanmar has been under military rule since a coup in 2021 and has been gripped by civil conflict. Now, the country faces even greater devastation in the wake of the earthquake.
Hospitals in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, are overwhelmed, with medical teams struggling to cope.
At Mandalay General Hospital, the city’s largest medical facility, hundreds of patients, including babies, the elderly, and Buddhist monks, are being treated in the parking lot. Many are lying on gurneys under makeshift tarpaulins as temperatures soar to 39°C.
“This is a very, very imperfect condition for everyone,” one doctor told AFP. “We’re trying to do what we can here.”
Although the hospital building has not been visibly damaged, fears of further aftershocks have forced most patients to stay outside. Only a handful of critical patients remain inside under the care of medical staff.
Across the city, people are sleeping in the streets, too afraid to return home.
“There have been so many aftershocks, people don’t feel safe in their homes,” said a resident. “Some have tents, but many just sleep on the ground with blankets.”
The fear is not unfounded. Myanmar continues to experience tremors, and authorities have warned that more aftershocks could follow.
The scale of the disaster has stretched emergency services to their limits. The search for survivors continued on Monday, but in Mandalay, one of the worst-hit cities, rescue operations were winding down as hope faded. Nearly 300 people remain missing across the country.
The United Nations and international aid organisations have pledged support, but Myanmar’s military government has been slow to accept external assistance.
For South Africans in Myanmar, the uncertainty is growing.
“We are just waiting,” said Motloung. “There’s no clear information, and we don’t know what to do.”
With communication lines down in some areas and internet access disrupted, reaching people has become difficult. Families of South Africans working in Myanmar have taken to social media, appealing for information and urging the government to act quickly.
Back home, South Africans with relatives in Myanmar are desperate for news.
“My sister is a teacher there, and I haven’t been able to reach her since Friday,” said a Cape Town resident. “I just want to know if she is safe.”
The earthquake is the strongest to hit Myanmar in years and has affected neighbouring countries, including Thailand, where tremors were felt in Bangkok.
The full extent of the damage is still unknown, but rescue teams have described widespread destruction, with entire villages flattened and roads destroyed.
In Mandalay, the situation remains dire. Medical teams are struggling, rescue workers are racing against time, and survivors are waiting for news of loved ones who are still missing.
For the South African teachers stranded in the disaster zone, the days ahead remain uncertain.
Cape Argus