Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sihle Zikalala has applauded the uMzumbe Local Municipality after the Mkhungo family had trouble burying a loved one recently.
Earlier this week, news broke that an induna on the South Coast of the province allegedly refused the family to bury their mother and her body had to be returned to the mortuary.
On Wednesday, the department said that the municipality intervened and said it would cover the costs of the funeral of the Mkhungo family after the incident that occurred over the weekend where the family is alleged to have been refused the right to bury their mother in a parcel of land in uMthwalume, along the South Coast, by an induna.
The department said that the incident made the family return the body of their loved one to the mortuary.
On Tuesday, Zikalala directed the department to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding an incident.
Several interventions have been rolled out by the provincial government to assist the family.
The interventions include:
- Psychosocial support to the family for the traumatic experience that they went through.
- Profiling of the households in line with Operation Sukuma Sakhe so that the department of Human Settlements can assist the family with an RDP house.
“The uMzumbe Local Municipality will incur the costs for the funeral, which will now take place tomorrow, August 18, at a municipal cemetery,” Zikalala said.
On Tuesday, the department said that the MEC is aware that the department is working with the Umzumbe Municipality, Inkosi and his Traditional Council in addressing the matter.
Zikalala called for calm surrounding the matter and for the department to be allowed to investigate the circumstances surrounding this disturbing incident.
“We wish to get to the bottom of this matter. What we saw in the videos that were circulating on various social media platforms is truly disturbing. What they experienced is something that we do not wish on anyone and requires a thorough investigation,” Zikalala said.
He noted with concern that similar incidents have occurred in the same area, and formal legal processes are unfolding to effectively deal with such unfortunate and dehumanising circumstances that involve local authorities.
Daily News