Celani Sikhakhane
It took a month – but the body of Rose Mkhungo, who was kicked out of her own funeral, was finally lowered into the ground and laid to rest on Thursday.
Mkhungo was buried in Port Shepstone’s Uvongo cemetery, about 40km from Mathulini village, where a local chief refused to let her be buried.
Mkhungo, 58, died in hospital in July after a short illness.
Her children took her body to their father’s house for burial in Mfazazane but he chased them out. They then took her mortal remains to her relatives in Oshabeni where they also refused to bury her.
Then last Saturday she was kicked out of her own funeral!
Induna Fana Maluleke refused to let Mkhungo’s family bury her in his village on Saturday until they had handed over a R2,000 khonza fee and a bottle of whiskey as required when one registers as a resident in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Her relative Naledi Mkhungo told Scrolla.Africa that they decided to bury Rose at Uvongo because they could not afford to pay the R2,000 khonza fee or R800 for the local Roman Catholic cemetery.
Videos of the coffin being turned away went viral on social media.
The traditional leader is now being investigated by the KwaZulu-Natal traditional affairs department.
“We wish to get to the bottom of this matter,” said Sihle Zikalala, MEC for Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs.
“What we saw in the videos that were circulating on various social media platforms is truly disturbing. What they experienced is something that we do not wish on anyone and requires a thorough investigation.”
As for the induna, Maluleka told Scrolla.Africa that the affair had been ruined by the interference of politicians.
“My life is now in danger because there are a lot of people who want to kill me,” he said.
“They are throwing insults at me as if I was wrong for telling the family that they should have followed proper protocols.”
