The family of a Northern Irish visitor, who is understood to have been robbed of his belongings before he was found disoriented in Edenvale in Ekurhuleni, has started a crowdfunding campaign to help him get back home.

Caitlin Currie said that after her grandfather had been found on Monday, they needed to raise money for him. 

She said he had been mugged of his belongings, money and passport and needed to find a place to stay until his flight home. 

The crowdfunding campaign had exceeded its target of £1 000 by mid-morning on Tuesday, raising £1 184 (R21 098). 

The alarm was raised when Currie became uncontactable after flying to South Africa last week.

He is from Cookstown in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and flew to South Africa via Dublin, according to the Belfast Telegraph.

It is believed that he flew to South Africa to meet a woman he had been chatting to online for two years who seemed to have disappeared.

Steven King, CEO of SA Community Crime Watch said contact was established with his family and a picture of Stanley was shared at least 20 000 times. 

On Monday afternoon, a woman at a dog parlour in Hurlyvale Avenue, near Edenvale, saw a man under a tree and recognised him from the poster.  

"It's the power of social media," marvelled King.

When he was found "he was a bit beaten up by the sun". 

The police were called and he was taken for medical observation. 

"He appears to be in good health but as a precautionary measure, he is currently undergoing medical examination," said police spokesperson Vish Naidoo.

In the meantime, his son Mark expressed gratitude for the help they received.

There was no further news of the mystery woman.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter