Seventeen years after her death, Betty’s spirit back home

Seventeen years after her death‚ the spirit of murdered Queenstown-born chef Betty Ketani was yesterday returned to her birthplace in an emotional ceremony.

Ketani‚ who worked as a chef at a restaurant in Rosebank‚ Johannesburg‚ disappeared in May 1999.

“We spoke to her and told her that we have come to get her spirit and we asked her to come with us so we can go bury her in Queenstown.”

Because the family did not get any of Ketani’s remains‚ they took a sample of the soil from the Kenilworth house and scattered it in the coffin.

The family also brought Ketani’s clothes‚ which they put in the coffin.

“We brought her outfit because we don’t want her to complain one day and say she is cold because we did not dress her‚” Eric says.

Ketani’s youngest daughter‚ Lusanda‚ who was a year old when her mother died‚ said the ceremony brought closure for the family.

Ketani will be buried on Saturday next to her mother’s grave.

When the family reaches their Queenstown home‚ they will tell Ketani’s spirit that she is home.