Four coffins featuring gold and silver linings were laid out in front of about 1000 mourners during a funeral service yesterday for the young boys who died when an initiation hut in which they were sleeping caught alight.
Mourners, including the mothers of the boys, government officials and clergy struggled to fight back tears as eulogies were read out for cousins Zezona Mgedle, 9, Ndalo Maxaza, 8, Sixolise Delani, 11, and their friend Makaziwe Buqwana, 9.
The boys were burnt beyond recognition after the initiation hut in which they were sleeping caught fire on December 23 at Fort Malan’s Kunokatana village.
The boys were buried in the same village.
Ndalo went to Unified Public School in Florida, Johannesburg, while the other three were pupils at Nokatana Junior Secondary School.
Their bereaved families have been left with more questions than answers following the incident.
Ndalo’s mother Zukiswa Maxaza, 38, was left devastated by her son’s death. The grass hut in which he died belonged to her elder son Thandolwethu, 19.
“The parents of these boys had big dreams for their sons, and some were the only child. How could God allow this tragedy to happen,” she asked.
Thandolwethu, who attended the funeral in amakrwala attire looked tired and stressed, said he had loved all the boys “like brothers”.
“They were so young and cheerful and full of strength,” he said, adding he had left his initiation hut on the fateful night to visit the village with other initiates.
“A few minutes after I left we saw from a distance a big fire coming from where my hut was. I thought of the boys and ran as fast as I could to the hut. But when I arrived it was already engulfed with fire.”
He said the boys had formed part of his passage to manhood. “While other men will have good memories of their initiation time, I will have bad ones,” he said.
Speakers said that it was part of the initiation tradition that young boys attend initiation schools and sleep over as aides.
Mbhashe mayor Nonceba Mfecane said: “Losing a child is so painful and losing them in this manner is more agonising.”
Education MEC Makupula sent a message of condolences on behalf of government.
Police have opened an inquest docket for further investigation.
Families mourn youths burnt in initiation hut
Mourners, including the mothers of the boys, government officials and clergy struggled to fight back tears as eulogies were read out for cousins Zezona Mgedle, 9, Ndalo Maxaza, 8, Sixolise Delani, 11, and their friend Makaziwe Buqwana, 9.
The boys were burnt beyond recognition after the initiation hut in which they were sleeping caught fire on December 23 at Fort Malan’s Kunokatana village.
The boys were buried in the same village.
Ndalo went to Unified Public School in Florida, Johannesburg, while the other three were pupils at Nokatana Junior Secondary School.
Their bereaved families have been left with more questions than answers following the incident.
Ndalo’s mother Zukiswa Maxaza, 38, was left devastated by her son’s death. The grass hut in which he died belonged to her elder son Thandolwethu, 19.
“The parents of these boys had big dreams for their sons, and some were the only child. How could God allow this tragedy to happen,” she asked.
Thandolwethu, who attended the funeral in amakrwala attire looked tired and stressed, said he had loved all the boys “like brothers”.
“They were so young and cheerful and full of strength,” he said, adding he had left his initiation hut on the fateful night to visit the village with other initiates.
“A few minutes after I left we saw from a distance a big fire coming from where my hut was. I thought of the boys and ran as fast as I could to the hut. But when I arrived it was already engulfed with fire.”
He said the boys had formed part of his passage to manhood. “While other men will have good memories of their initiation time, I will have bad ones,” he said.
Speakers said that it was part of the initiation tradition that young boys attend initiation schools and sleep over as aides.
Mbhashe mayor Nonceba Mfecane said: “Losing a child is so painful and losing them in this manner is more agonising.”
Education MEC Makupula sent a message of condolences on behalf of government.
Police have opened an inquest docket for further investigation.
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