Drama unfolded at Tshikuwi graveyard on Sunday, 17 May, after a dispute erupted between the family of the late Takalani Marikhela (55) and his wife over burial arrangements.
Marikhela died at Kalafong Hospital on 6 May. The conflict reportedly began when his wife proceeded with the burial without involving some members of the deceased’s family. After the burial, a group of relatives gathered at the graveyard entrance demanding that the body be exhumed so that family rituals could first be performed at home.
Tensions escalated when angry relatives allegedly threatened the funeral parlour owner, warning that they would burn him and his vehicles if the body was not removed.
The owner of Manyoro Funeral Services, Mr Muvhulawa Manyoro, said he was instructed by the wife on 6 May to collect the body from Gauteng.
“She gave me the contact details of the deceased’s sister, who was in Gauteng, so that she could sign for the release of the body. We collected the body and brought it back home to our mortuary,” he said.
He said both the family and the wife later met at the mortuary to choose a coffin, tombstone and inscription.
On 14 May, however, he was instructed by family members to stop preparing the tombstone and was asked for transport and storage costs, as they intended moving the body to another funeral parlour.
On 16 May, the wife arrived with a letter allegedly from the family authorising her to proceed alone with the funeral arrangements.
The crisis reached its peak on Sunday morning at the graveyard shortly after the burial.
“In the end, I had to exhume the body and hand it over to the family in the presence of police officers who had been called by the deceased’s wife,” he said.
A subsequent meeting involving both families, held at Mphephu Police Station on Monday, 18 May, agreed that the body be returned to the mortuary. Mr Manyoro said he requested extra police protection after receiving threats from angry community members.
“I feared for my life and the safety of my vehicles because the community members were very angry,” he said.
He maintained he was only a service provider and should not be blamed for the dispute.
“If there is a misunderstanding between the families, it is not my fault because they are the ones who approached me for the service. Even when they requested to move the body to another mortuary, I did not refuse and I gave them the costs involved. The two families must resolve their conflict on their own,” he said.
Family member Albert Marikhela said the dispute arose because some relatives were excluded from arrangements.
“There would not have been any disagreement if the family members had been properly involved in the funeral arrangements,” he said.
He said the family intervened after hearing the burial would proceed without them, and confirmed that both sides had agreed on reburial on 23 May, with the body to be moved to another mortuary and costs covered by the wife.
“We are happy that my brother will finally rest in peace without further conflict,” he said.
He also accused the local traditional authority of assisting the wife in identifying the grave site without family approval.