Grief and Confusion: Mangwe Family’s Heartbreaking Burial Error

A family in Cross Roads, Mangwe, endured a devastating ordeal after mistakenly burying a Lesotho citizen, believing it was their relative. The incident unraveled two months later, leaving them distraught.

The tragic mix-up occurred when the family received the wrong body following the death of their relative, Bambanani Ndebele, in South Africa. The realization came weeks after the burial.

On Friday, Ndebele’s remains were finally laid to rest. The corrected burial took place with officials from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa in attendance, marking a somber closure.

Mike Ndebele, uncle to the deceased, shared his sorrow. “My nephew died in South Africa. Unfortunately, we received the wrong body and buried it. We’re deeply shaken,” he revealed.

The mix-up surfaced after the Lesotho family, realizing their relative was buried in error, stepped forward to retrieve their loved one. This added another layer of anguish for all involved.

Bambanani Ndebele’s death resulted from a stabbing incident in South Africa, a tragedy compounded by the challenges his family faced in identifying the body sent for burial.

Efforts to confirm the deceased’s identity were conducted in both South Africa and Zimbabwe. Yet, identifying someone in a coffin under such conditions proved daunting for the grieving family.

“Some relatives noticed discrepancies during the body viewing, suggesting it wasn’t Bambanani,” said Ndebele. Despite this, the burial proceeded, intensifying their pain when the truth emerged.

The incident highlights the emotional toll on families and raises questions about procedures for verifying the identity of deceased persons during cross-border transportation and funeral arrangements.

Cultural activist Samukele Hadele underscored the importance of body identification. He emphasized that viewing the deceased is an essential cultural practice for African families to honor and bid farewell.

Hadele also criticized funeral undertakers, noting that identification shouldn’t rely solely on them. He stressed the need for families to actively participate during the collection and preparation of the deceased.

This painful episode serves as a stark reminder of the importance of meticulous processes in handling the deceased, especially in cases involving international repatriation of bodies.

The Ndebele family, though devastated, hopes their story will encourage others to ensure thorough checks to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

The Zim Bulletin