I’ll stay until they pay’

Pretoria - After living outside the South Sudan embassy for five months, Valentino Chan has no intention of leaving.

Chan, 43, from South Sudan, says he is owed money by the embassy for services rendered and he won’t leave until he receives what he feels is due to him.

“I want $30 000 (R490 000) for the work I’ve done and $50 000 (R840 000) for compensation,” Chan said.

He said he and his family have suffered considerably and he needs to be compensated for the suffering.

“When I look at how I used to live in the bush and what I live like now, I get touched inside,” he said emotionally.

Chan said he worked as a soldier in his native country, fighting for independence from North Sudan.

“Almost half my family has joined the movement - my three brothers and myself - and I’m excluding my cousins and uncles,” he said.

“We did not fight for freedom only for our leaders to oppress us,” he said.

Chan said he came to South Africa to get an education. He soon got married and has four children.

His wife and children are with his wife’s mother in Tzaneen, Limpopo, while he has been living in a car outside the embassy building.

He has a couch and fridge outside and a few other items.

Inside his car are documents, he said, of his claims of having been employed by the embassy.

He said he was employed for a secret mission and three months into his employment he was fired before being paid.

Since August last year he has been living in his car and has made friends during this time.

“I spent my Christmas here alone. I did not have any money to go see my family or have them come and see me,” he said.

Some good Samaritans had invited him to spend New Year with them but he declined the invitation.

“I did not go because I did not think I would feel comfortable and I would make them uncomfortable. I did not want to be sitting next to a braai waiting for a meal while my children had nothing.”

On Christmas Day, he said, he purposefully left the embassy because he knew people would bring him food, which he did not want to accept while his children were without.

His pride can allow for him to go without food but he has swallowed his pride to live on the street for what he believes in.

“South Sudan did not come as a gift from the Sudanese government,” said Chan.

“It came as a price people had to pay.

“About 2.5 million people had to die between 1983 in the war for independence. So whatever it takes for me to get my freedom, I will do it.”

The South Sudan ambassador to South Africa, Philip Jada Natana, said there was no proof Chan was ever employed by the embassy.

In a letter addressed to Chan, Natana offered him a one-way ticket to South Sudan where he can settle his complaints with the Commission for Public Grievances Chamber.

Chan said he will be killed if he goes back home since he and his family are considered rebels.

He said if he was a criminal then he should get arrested and he will take his case to the courts of South Africa.