How to help a US Citizen trap at Johannesburg, South Africa?

Lonely american traveller, Joe G went on vacation to Johannesburg, South Africa for 2 weeks and decided to make a trip to visit a friend at Singapore. After Flight booking with the agency on skytours.com.uk, made his way back to baylinks hotel (anyone heard of this hotel/guesthouse?)

After some gym workout, suddenly he was attacked by some hudlums who made away with his credit card and some other valuables and found that he left with little cash to pay his hotel bills cos he paid by weekly interval. He can't access his bank accounts from South Africa until he reach Singapore. Finally, his bills has been settled by some Moneygram transferred with the help of the hotel manager, Kenneth Ehiogu.

However, on 15th Oct his Visa was found to be expired and need to renew his immigration visa before he can board his flight to Singapore on 18th Oct. Now he is detained by the immigration till he pay his renewal of US$450.

The US embassy at South Africa was not able to help him much.

Please advise how to help him out of South Africa?

All this sounds a little fishy. You don't need a visa to travel to SA if you are an american citizen, just a current passport. You get a visa on arrival. They would not have even let him in the country if it, the passport, was anywhere near expiring anyway. Most hotels require a credit card number, even if you plan to pay with cash for security reasons. They want some recourse if the tennant skips out without paying so that should not have caused a money problem. Getting a wire transfer from an American bank should not be a problem there and it is something that the embassy might have been able to help with also. Maybe his friend in Singapore could wire him the funds he needs, after all, thats what friends are for right. To help each other out of tight spots. Good luck Joe.