Mother traumatised as girlfriend keeps her son’s body
Bekezile Ngema of J2 said she was having sleepless nights not knowing where the body of her son, Daniel Mngomezulu is, as she wants to give him a dignified burial
AN eSikhaleni mother has called for government intervention in tracing the whereabouts of her son’s body, who died in December after a short illness.
Bekezile Ngema of J2 said she was having sleepless nights not knowing where the body of her son, Daniel Mngomezulu is, as she wants to give him a dignified burial.
Complicating matters is a dispute between the Ngema family and the deceased’s girlfriend, who wanted to bury her boyfriend on her own terms.
According to Ngema, her son was living with his girlfriend in Ngwelezana.
‘I received a call from his girlfriend informing me that my son was not feeling well and was admitted to Ngwelezana Hospital for treatment.
‘While trying to get money to pay him a visit at the hospital, I received another call informing me my son had died,’ said Ngema.
‘When the family got to the hospital, we were told he had been moved to the hospital mortuary. There I was told that my son had been transferred by his girlfriend to one of the mortuaries in Richards Bay.
‘I was planning to bury my son, but I could not do so because his girlfriend claimed his body and until today my son has not yet been buried.’.
The traumatised mother said she was getting tired of burning candles as per the tradition to mourn the loss of a family member until he or she has been laid to rest.
KZN Department of Social Development spokesperson, Mhlaba Memela, advised the family to take the matter to court.
‘The court will determine who should take the body for burial, and they can also make use of our offices to receive assistance.’
The ZO was unable to reach the deceased’s girlfriend for comment.
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