Sharon Barang’a: Kenyan bracelet helped me find safety after getting lost in South Africa
By Steve Ireri, July 10, 2026Journalist Sharon Barang’a has recounted a frightening experience of getting lost in South Africa, revealing that a bracelet bearing the Kenyan flag ultimately helped her find assistance after fears surrounding xenophobic attacks left her too scared to ask strangers for directions.
Speaking in a video shared on Instagram on Friday, July 10, 2026, Sharon said the incident happened while she was visiting the famous Mandela House in Soweto during a trip to South Africa.
According to the journalist, she lost her way after leaving the historic site and found herself stranded in downtown Soweto, an unfamiliar area where she became increasingly anxious.
Sharon admitted that despite needing help, she hesitated to approach people because she feared they would realise she was a foreigner.
She explained that the recent wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa had made her reluctant to speak in public.
“I was so scared of speaking out. You know those xenophobia things, so I was thinking if I spoke, they would know I am not South African,” she said.
The journalist said she remained stranded until an unexpected encounter changed the situation.
According to Sharon, she was wearing a bracelet decorated with the Kenyan flag, which caught the attention of another Kenyan woman who happened to be nearby.
The woman immediately recognised the bracelet and approached her.
“Because of that Kenyan bracelet I had on, another Kenyan lady spotted me and told me, ‘Come here, my sister,'” Sharon recalled.
She said the woman then guided her and ensured she safely found her way back to her hotel.
“So from there, she helped me until I got to my hotel. That bracelet can save you,” she added.
Repatriations
Sharon’s account comes just days after hundreds of Kenyans were repatriated from South Africa following a fresh wave of xenophobic unrest that has left many foreign nationals fearing for their safety.
Many of those who returned said they had been forced to abandon businesses, jobs and personal belongings as anti-immigrant sentiment escalated in several parts of the country.
Some also revealed they had left behind spouses, children and other family members because of the worsening security situation.
The latest unrest intensified after anti-immigrant campaign groups reportedly issued an ultimatum demanding that undocumented foreigners leave South Africa by June 30, 2026.
The Kenyan government has since continued coordinating evacuation efforts for affected citizens, while several other African countries have also repatriated their nationals amid the growing unrest.