News / Local
Stabbed tout to be buried at West Park today
20 Mar 2013 at 05:01hrs | Views
THE tout who was fatally stabbed by a colleague following an argument over $1, will be buried at West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo today.
Relatives yesterday said the tout's name was Simon Nyathi (27), although his father's surname was Maphosa.
There was, however, pandemonium when relatives started fighting over burial arrangements at Nyathi's home in Entumbane yesterday.
In an interview, Nyathi's aunt, Ms Billia Silobi (56), said trouble started when his paternal grandmother stormed into the house demanding the clothes that Nyathi was wearing on the day he was killed.
"Both Simon's parents passed away and he has been living with his mother's relatives since he was a little boy. His grandmother on his father's side came here and demanded the clothes he was wearing. The children who were here gave her the clothes and we do not know why she wanted them," said Ms Silobi.
She said the grandmother then caused a scene by further demanding that the funeral wake be moved to the Maphosa home in Mpopoma.
"She was in the company of Simon's uncles and they took the red cloth that signifies that there is a funeral, from the gate and went to put it at their house in Mpopoma," she said.
At the time, Ms Silobi said no burial arrangements had been made because the Maphosas had taken Nyathi's body from the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary to a private funeral parlour and had not updated them on the way forward.
"We are also pained that the family of the boy who killed our son has not bothered to come and speak to us. Simon was the breadwinner here," she added.
It was at that point that Nyathi's uncles from the Maphosa family arrived.
Nyathi's uncle, Mr Luke Maphosa (56) told the newscrew that what had happened was a misunderstanding because the youngsters had engaged each other in the absence of elders.
He could not explain their grandmothers' involvement in the altercation.
"Yes we took the clothes because it is part of our culture, there is nothing sinister. The whole argument was caused by the fact that the Nyathis held a funeral wake without consulting us. I am happy to announce that everything has been cleared up and we will bury him tomorrow at West Park cemetery," said Mr Nyathi.
A woman who was with Mr Nyathi said the family of the tout who had killed Nyathi should be the ones burying him.
A tout, Chemist Sakala (22), aka Skeme, stabbed Nyathi in the chest with a pair of scissors on Sunday.
The two were reportedly fighting over a $1 loading fee that touts are paid by commuter omnibus drivers for filling up their vehicles with passengers.
Skeme was reportedly arrested by police at the Esigodini tollgate on Sunday night.
It is suspected he was fleeing to neighbouring South Africa
Relatives yesterday said the tout's name was Simon Nyathi (27), although his father's surname was Maphosa.
There was, however, pandemonium when relatives started fighting over burial arrangements at Nyathi's home in Entumbane yesterday.
In an interview, Nyathi's aunt, Ms Billia Silobi (56), said trouble started when his paternal grandmother stormed into the house demanding the clothes that Nyathi was wearing on the day he was killed.
"Both Simon's parents passed away and he has been living with his mother's relatives since he was a little boy. His grandmother on his father's side came here and demanded the clothes he was wearing. The children who were here gave her the clothes and we do not know why she wanted them," said Ms Silobi.
She said the grandmother then caused a scene by further demanding that the funeral wake be moved to the Maphosa home in Mpopoma.
"She was in the company of Simon's uncles and they took the red cloth that signifies that there is a funeral, from the gate and went to put it at their house in Mpopoma," she said.
At the time, Ms Silobi said no burial arrangements had been made because the Maphosas had taken Nyathi's body from the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary to a private funeral parlour and had not updated them on the way forward.
"We are also pained that the family of the boy who killed our son has not bothered to come and speak to us. Simon was the breadwinner here," she added.
Nyathi's uncle, Mr Luke Maphosa (56) told the newscrew that what had happened was a misunderstanding because the youngsters had engaged each other in the absence of elders.
He could not explain their grandmothers' involvement in the altercation.
"Yes we took the clothes because it is part of our culture, there is nothing sinister. The whole argument was caused by the fact that the Nyathis held a funeral wake without consulting us. I am happy to announce that everything has been cleared up and we will bury him tomorrow at West Park cemetery," said Mr Nyathi.
A woman who was with Mr Nyathi said the family of the tout who had killed Nyathi should be the ones burying him.
A tout, Chemist Sakala (22), aka Skeme, stabbed Nyathi in the chest with a pair of scissors on Sunday.
The two were reportedly fighting over a $1 loading fee that touts are paid by commuter omnibus drivers for filling up their vehicles with passengers.
Skeme was reportedly arrested by police at the Esigodini tollgate on Sunday night.
It is suspected he was fleeing to neighbouring South Africa
Source - TC
