A BODY mix-up at a funeral parlour in South Africa resulted
in a family from Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North burying a wrong corpse.
Bhekisisa Moyo (25) was allegedly stoned to death and his
body was taken to a mortuary in Diepsloot in South Africa where the body of
Coaster Chauke from Chiredzi, was also being kept.
Moyo’s family mistakenly collected Chauke’s body for burial
as they did not conduct body viewing due to the state of their son’s body.
Moyo was allegedly stoned to death in the neighbouring
country while Chauke was fatally stabbed. Moyo was buried on September 15.
In a telephone interview, Chauke’s family yesterday said
the body-mix has left them drained emotionally and financially.
Chauke’s brother Mr Joseph Chinhemba said his family had to
bring Moyo’s body to his relatives in Tsholotsho when they discovered the body
mix-up.
“My brother and this other one from Tsholotsho were taken
to the same funeral parlour following their deaths last month. It seems they
were taken on the same day to the parlour. The family from Tsholotsho managed
to fix their repatriation papers before us and collected the body;
unfortunately they collected my brother’s body which they buried in their rural
home in Tsholotsho,” said Mr Chinhemba.
He revealed that Moyo’s family did not conduct the body
viewing process in line with their cultural beliefs as their son was killed.
Mr Chinhemba said processes have commenced to ensure that
his brother is exhumed for reburial in their rural home.
“This is painful for us. It has exhausted us emotionally,
physically and financially. We had to bring a body fully knowing it is not ours
from South Africa. Now it is going to cost us further to transport my young
brother’s remains to our rural home. Some of our relatives will never get the
closure they require as we will also no longer conduct body viewing process,”
said Mr Chinhemba.
However, he said they have no qualms with Moyo’s family as
they believe that the incident was a genuine mistake.
Mr Chinhemba said if there is anyone to blame it is
officials at the South African mortuary. Chronicle
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