A funeral at a Shabangu homestead of Ndzingeni was called off at the last minute over the weekend after the bereaved family was advised by the Ndzingeni Royal Kraal to use one of the area’s designated community cemeteries.
The development left the family and some members of the community questioning the timing of the intervention, particularly after preparations for the burial had already been made.
However, the Ndzingeni Royal Kraal has distanced itself from claims that it stopped the funeral, saying it merely directed the family to comply with an established community burial protocol.
Ndzingeni Headman Anderson Mkhonta said the family had been informed that burials in the area were supposed to take place in one of two designated cemeteries.
According to Mkhonta, the family first reported the death at the royal kraal last Saturday and was asked which of the two cemeteries it intended to use.
He said the family indicated that it still needed to consult and make a decision.
“The family was told to return on Monday after reaching a decision, but they did not,” Mkhonta said.
He said community police were subsequently sent on Tuesday to summon the family to the royal kraal for a meeting on Wednesday, but the family did not heed to that order.
Members of the inner council eventually went to the Shabangu homestead on Friday to remind the family that the deceased should be buried in one of the designated cemeteries.
The royal kraal’s representatives, he said, were surprised to find that the family had already started digging a grave at the homestead.
“The family appeared to understand what we were saying and continued with the funeral service. We thought they would proceed to bury the deceased at the designated site, but they abandoned that arrangement,” Mkhonta said.
However, the deceased’s husband, Ndani Shabangu, said the family was shocked by the development because funeral preparations had already reached an advanced stage.
Shabangu said the family had incurred substantial expenses and had prepared a grave at the homestead, where other family members had previously been buried.
He said royal kraal representatives returned to the homestead on Saturday while family members and mourners had gathered for a night vigil.
According to Shabangu, the family was again informed that the burial could not take place at the homestead and that the deceased had to be buried at the designated cemetery.
The grave was subsequently closed, and the planned burial was called off.
“We are hurt and disappointed by what happened. We had already made most of the preparations and incurred expenses,” Shabangu said.
He questioned why the family could not bury his wife alongside other relatives at the established family gravesite.
Shabangu said the family intended to engage the royal kraal to seek clarity and find a way forward.
Mkhonta, meanwhile, said the issue was not specific to the Shabangu family but formed part of a broader burial arrangement at Ndzingeni.
He said residents had been informed about the designated burial sites on more than six occasions.
Mkhonta added that Ndzingeni had also benchmarked its burial arrangements against those of other chiefdoms, including Luve, Nkomazi and Mayiwane, where designated community cemeteries are used.
The dispute has since sparked mixed reactions in the community, with some residents expressing sympathy for the bereaved family and questioning the manner and timing of the intervention.
Others have called for dialogue between the family and the royal kraal, saying the matter should be resolved while taking into consideration both established community practices and the family’s concerns.
