A bereaved Mdantsane family had the shock of their lives on Friday when they arrived at the Haven Hills cemetery in Amalinda, East London, to find the grave had been dug in the wrong place.
As a result, Camagu Mboto’s burial was delayed for several hours while cemetery workers dug a grave at the other side of the graveyard.
Camagu’s mother, Ndileka, spoke of her anger waiting for hours for the cemetery workers to dig the new grave in the private section of the graveyard, where the family had initially wanted it.
Camagu died on May 6 of HIV-related complications and Ndileka wanted the burial to be peaceful. Little did she know of the drama that would unfold.
When the hearse arrived with the body at the cemetery on Friday morning, Ndileka said she realised it was on the wrong side of the cemetery.
She said the family was told to be at the cemetery by 8am but the new grave was only ready for them after 11am.
However, Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the delay was about 30 minutes.
Hesaid: “The city, as was done on site, again apologises to the family.”
Weeping uncontrollably at the grave site, Ndileka relayed to the Dispatch how hurt and disappointed she was with the municipality.
More pain for bereaved Mdantsane family over grave gaffe
Image: SINO MAJANGAZA
A bereaved Mdantsane family had the shock of their lives on Friday when they arrived at the Haven Hills cemetery in Amalinda, East London, to find the grave had been dug in the wrong place.
As a result, Camagu Mboto’s burial was delayed for several hours while cemetery workers dug a grave at the other side of the graveyard.
Camagu’s mother, Ndileka, spoke of her anger waiting for hours for the cemetery workers to dig the new grave in the private section of the graveyard, where the family had initially wanted it.
Camagu died on May 6 of HIV-related complications and Ndileka wanted the burial to be peaceful. Little did she know of the drama that would unfold.
When the hearse arrived with the body at the cemetery on Friday morning, Ndileka said she realised it was on the wrong side of the cemetery.
She said the family was told to be at the cemetery by 8am but the new grave was only ready for them after 11am.
However, Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the delay was about 30 minutes.
Hesaid: “The city, as was done on site, again apologises to the family.”
Weeping uncontrollably at the grave site, Ndileka relayed to the Dispatch how hurt and disappointed she was with the municipality.
Relative describes horror of finding loved ones’ graves in ‘floating cemetery’
“My child deserved a peaceful, dignified and quiet burial. I am angry at them because we were told everything was on track.
“When we arrived we were surprised the grave was not where I had wanted it to be dug.
“At a later stage we want to erect a tombstone and it is only possible to do so in the private section.
“Why do I have to go through this trauma? Wasn’t losing my child enough?
“It’s a disgrace on their part.”
Ngwenya said the grave was ready when Ndileka and the mourners arrived at the cemetery, “but it was then discovered it was in the wrong section”.
“This was urgently addressed to the best of our speed and resources by our officials, who quickly began digging another grave in the right section,” Ngwenya said.
He said since lockdown was declared in late March, cemetery officials had done a “commendable job”.
In the past six months they had dug about 600 graves at an average of 92 a month, excluding cremations, “with no major incidents”, he added.
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