A 10 YEAR OLD Zulu boy was reunited with his natural family in South Africa yesterday shortly after returning from Britain where he lost an appeal to stay with his white foster mother.
His foster mother likened the move to "legal child abduction" and vowed to keep on fighting for the right to adopt the boy she raised from childhood.
Sifiso Masango, who flew from London with his natural mother on Saturday evening, arrived in Johannesburg yesterday morning.
A sad looking Sifiso did not smile when he arrived at the house the Masango family are to live in near Brakpan, east of Johannesburg. But his beaming father, Mr Charles Masango, said he was elated that his son was finally back in South Africa with his natural family.
Anxious to stay in Britain with his British foster mother of Afrikaner background who wants to adopt him legally, the boy even appealed to Queen Elizabeth.
The Sunday Express printed his shakily hand written note, which said: "Dear Her Majesty, I want to stay here with my white mum. Can you please help me because no one else will help me."
"Everyone seems to be against me and my Mum. I want to stay here with my family. I am happy here."
But it was to no avail. A dry legal statement from the Lord Chancellor's department announced his departure.
"Sifiso Masango, the 10 year old Zulu boy who has been the subject of lengthy legal proceedings about his future, in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, has now departed permanently from the UK," the statement said.
The boy did not cry as he boarded his plane under police escort at London's Heathrow airport. But his "white mum", Ms Salome Stopford was inconsolable in the departure lounge after he left. She and her daughters, Natalie and Simone clasped each other round the shoulders and bowed their heads weeping uncontrollably after Sifiso left.
Mrs Stopford insisted this was only the beginning of the legal battle and hit out at the British "Courts of Injustice" which had torn her family apart.
She brought the boy, whose natural mother had worked for her as a housekeeper and nanny, to Britain in 1992 with the intention of becoming his legal parent. Although the boy's parents gave their permission for him to leave, they have since asked to have him back.
An attempt to fly him out of Britain on Friday failed when he became hysterical and was judged to be too distressed to board the plane to South Africa.
The High Court in London ruled last month that the boy must leave his white mother and return to his home in Lebowa in the Transvaal, even though he has forgotten how to speak the Zulu language.