A South African couple residing in western Sydney reported to be gripped by fear as they await news on their application for protection visas.
Charne-Lee Gunning 31 and Ivan Strauss 37 believe that returning to South Africa could lead to dire consequences, labelling it a death sentence.
Both Gunning and Strauss have histories marked by trauma and violence.
It is reported that Gunnings childhood was shattered when her father was shot in the head when she was only three years old, and the early exposure to alleged brutality forced them to move frequently within South Africa in search of safety.
Now, as they anticipate the verdict from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal regarding their visa application, the couple is filled with dread. In the event of a rejection, they are left with an agonising five weeks to depart Australia, a country they now recognise as a sanctuary.