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Man mourns non-existent baby, nearly buries a doll
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KwaZulu-Natal man Nkululeko Zulu, 44, from Machibini in Mandeni, says his ex-girlfriend tricked him into thinking their baby had died.
His hopes of becoming a father turned into heartbreak when he almost buried a doll, believing it was his child.
Speaking to Isolezwe, Zulu alleged how his ex-girlfriend, Diyana Maluleke, also 44, led him to believe she was pregnant.
After many months of financial support from Zulu, Maluleke informed him that she had given birth. However, details remained scarce, and when he pressed for information, he was told the baby had passed away.
The heartbroken father, set about making funeral arrangements to bury his baby.
"I am very sad because I had already told myself that I was going to have a baby. But there was nothing we could do; we just started making funeral arrangements," Zulu said.
On the day of the funeral, his ex-girlfriend arrived from Durban carrying a coffin. Zulu's family described her demeanour as sorrowful, like someone who had genuinely lost a child.
A relative asked for the coffin to be opened so that the family could say goodbye.
To everyone's horror, the coffin contained a doll enveloped in swaddling clothes.
"I almost had a heart attack, I threw the doll on the ground," Zulu recalled.
Zulu had not only mourned a child he never had but had also been financially exploited as he sent money for expenses under false pretences.
Zulu now faces a summons to his local chief, as he must apologise for digging a grave under pretences of death—a sanction from the Mathonsi tribe.
"It hurts, this is what is bothering me," he said.
Reflecting on the past two years of his relationship with Maluleke, Zulu expressed disbelief at her elaborate deception.
"Everyone asked me what she would gain from this act, but I don't know. But her intention was to keep getting money from me," he said.
Maluleke had not responded to requests for comment from Isolezwe.
His hopes of becoming a father turned into heartbreak when he almost buried a doll, believing it was his child.
Speaking to Isolezwe, Zulu alleged how his ex-girlfriend, Diyana Maluleke, also 44, led him to believe she was pregnant.
After many months of financial support from Zulu, Maluleke informed him that she had given birth. However, details remained scarce, and when he pressed for information, he was told the baby had passed away.
The heartbroken father, set about making funeral arrangements to bury his baby.
"I am very sad because I had already told myself that I was going to have a baby. But there was nothing we could do; we just started making funeral arrangements," Zulu said.
On the day of the funeral, his ex-girlfriend arrived from Durban carrying a coffin. Zulu's family described her demeanour as sorrowful, like someone who had genuinely lost a child.
A relative asked for the coffin to be opened so that the family could say goodbye.
To everyone's horror, the coffin contained a doll enveloped in swaddling clothes.
"I almost had a heart attack, I threw the doll on the ground," Zulu recalled.
Zulu had not only mourned a child he never had but had also been financially exploited as he sent money for expenses under false pretences.
Zulu now faces a summons to his local chief, as he must apologise for digging a grave under pretences of death—a sanction from the Mathonsi tribe.
"It hurts, this is what is bothering me," he said.
Reflecting on the past two years of his relationship with Maluleke, Zulu expressed disbelief at her elaborate deception.
"Everyone asked me what she would gain from this act, but I don't know. But her intention was to keep getting money from me," he said.
Maluleke had not responded to requests for comment from Isolezwe.
Source - iol
