Drama in the bush as residents fight with funeral porlar workers

Daily Sun has reported that there was drama when the funeral parlor workers carried two bodies in two coffins and on their way to one of the deceased's home they decided to leave one coffin in the bush so that they collect it later to deliver it to its rightful home.

The paper states that while they were doing that some residents saw them and ambushed.

The incident reportedly occurred in North West's Letlhakaneng Village.

"The workers had thought fast as they didn't want to keep the families waiting or upset them by arriving with two coffins. So they hid the coffin containing the body of Mmaphefo Motshoane in the bush at nearby Mmakaunyane Village and took the coffin with the body of Rindani Mabaso to his family in Mmakaunyane," reported Daily Sun.

"But a resident saw them hide Mmaphefo's coffin and called villagers. When the two workers came back for Mmaphefo's body, residents jumped on them. Meanwhile, Mmaphefo's family, waiting for her body at home in Letlhakaneng Village, had no idea about the drama in the bush.

Peter Maponya said: "I saw the men unload a coffin in the bush so I called other residents."

Fuming resident Jacob Mathato reported that villagers were angry about the coffin being hidden in the bush.

And family spokeswoman Lebogang Motshoane said that what happened was unacceptable to their family.

"We wanted to bury our sister with dignity, but the undertakers did the opposite," she said.

"How can they dump her corpse in the bush like that?

"We will take this matter further and report the undertakers to the authorities."

Local leader Shangy Mbekwa said: "It traumatised children who saw the coffin dumped in the bush.

"We will support the action the families take and report the matter to the funeral undertakers' regulating authority," he said.

Karabo Pooe, the owner of Karabo Funeral Services, said: "This is intolerable. I will make sure that the two workers are expelled with immediate effect.

"I am prepared to pay any fine and also willing to contribute my services to graveyard maintenance," he said.

No case was registered with the police, but Pooe drafted a statement taking responsibility.