News / Local
Relatives fight over Mahlangu's body at funeral
11 Oct 2015 at 08:09hrs | Views
Relatives reportedly fought at the MDC-T Nkulumane late MP Thamsanqa Mahlangu's funeral as the preparation for his burial on Saturday was going on leading to the hearse carrying the deceased speeding off from the scene.
The developments reportedly delayed the process of his burial from 9:30am to later than 12pm.
A commentator and journalist who saw the running battles, Methuseli Moyo said it was a really spectacle.
"I have just witnessed a sad spectacle. A hearse carrying the body of the late Nkulumane MP Thamsanqa Mahlangu sped off from the funeral wake, apparently after rival family camps scuffled over proceedings," Moyo said.
"I was at the a place known as "L Street" in Luveve in Bulawayo, about 200 metres from the house where mourners were gathered, when I saw people suddenly stampeding, and the hearse emerged from the melee flashing hazard lights at take-off speed." Moyo said it slowed down when it had moved off the "war zone".
"Several other vehicles also took off following the Nyaradzo Funeral Services hearse, towards the main Luveve Road. A woman clared in all-black, the only passenger in the hearse, who I believed was Mahlangu's widow, shouted "bafana ukukwatula ibokisi" (they want to break the coffin) as the hearse made its way past where I was. The hearse sped towards the city direction, with other vehicles in tow," he said. "Ndimi makauraya, hazvinamhosva" (it is you who killed (Mahlangu). No problem), sang a group of MDC-T activists at the back of an open truck, while a group in another vehicle sang "iNkulumane iyabhonga" (Nkulumane rules), apparently celebrating that they had won the battle over Mahlangu's corpse."
According media reports, Mahlangu's relatives from Luveve where he grew up are locked in a wrangle with his "other family" from Nkulumane, consisting of his mother and step father, over control of burial proceedings.
"It looked all set for the funeral, with three buses and several vehicles waiting to transport mourners to the cemetery when I passed by the place earlier on in the morning. The situation appeared tense as political activists could e heard from a distance singing provocative songs," Moyo said.
"It was not clear if the hearse was speeding towards the cemetery or to Nkulumane, as demanded by some activists. It was a sad spectacle if you ask me."
The developments reportedly delayed the process of his burial from 9:30am to later than 12pm.
A commentator and journalist who saw the running battles, Methuseli Moyo said it was a really spectacle.
"I have just witnessed a sad spectacle. A hearse carrying the body of the late Nkulumane MP Thamsanqa Mahlangu sped off from the funeral wake, apparently after rival family camps scuffled over proceedings," Moyo said.
"I was at the a place known as "L Street" in Luveve in Bulawayo, about 200 metres from the house where mourners were gathered, when I saw people suddenly stampeding, and the hearse emerged from the melee flashing hazard lights at take-off speed." Moyo said it slowed down when it had moved off the "war zone".
"Several other vehicles also took off following the Nyaradzo Funeral Services hearse, towards the main Luveve Road. A woman clared in all-black, the only passenger in the hearse, who I believed was Mahlangu's widow, shouted "bafana ukukwatula ibokisi" (they want to break the coffin) as the hearse made its way past where I was. The hearse sped towards the city direction, with other vehicles in tow," he said. "Ndimi makauraya, hazvinamhosva" (it is you who killed (Mahlangu). No problem), sang a group of MDC-T activists at the back of an open truck, while a group in another vehicle sang "iNkulumane iyabhonga" (Nkulumane rules), apparently celebrating that they had won the battle over Mahlangu's corpse."
According media reports, Mahlangu's relatives from Luveve where he grew up are locked in a wrangle with his "other family" from Nkulumane, consisting of his mother and step father, over control of burial proceedings.
"It looked all set for the funeral, with three buses and several vehicles waiting to transport mourners to the cemetery when I passed by the place earlier on in the morning. The situation appeared tense as political activists could e heard from a distance singing provocative songs," Moyo said.
"It was not clear if the hearse was speeding towards the cemetery or to Nkulumane, as demanded by some activists. It was a sad spectacle if you ask me."
Source - Byo24News
