A family from Cross Roads, Mangwe, has been left devastated after they exhumed the body of a Lesotho citizen they had mistakenly buried, thinking it was their deceased relative. The mix-up occurred two months ago, and the exhumation of the incorrect body and subsequent burial of the rightful deceased, Bambanani Ndebele, took place last Friday, with officials from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Lesotho present.
In an emotional interview with CITE, Mike Ndebele, the deceased’s uncle, explained that his nephew passed away in South Africa two months ago. However, due to a body mix-up, the wrong deceased person was sent to Zimbabwe for burial.
“My nephew died in South Africa two months ago, but due to a mistake with the bodies, the wrong one was brought here, and we buried it,” Ndebele said. “Later, we discovered the error, and now the Lesotho family is coming to collect their relative’s remains.”
Ndebele further revealed that Bambanani was tragically stabbed in South Africa, and despite body viewing processes conducted both in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the family faced challenges identifying the body.
“Body viewing was done both in South Africa and here in Zimbabwe, but identifying someone in a coffin is often difficult,” Ndebele explained. “Some family members and even children voiced concerns, saying the body didn’t look like him, but those concerns were dismissed. This incident has deeply hurt us as a family.”
Cultural activist Samukele Hadele emphasized the importance of correctly identifying a body at the time of collection and during the dressing process. Hadele explained that in African tradition, viewing the body is an essential step to pay last respects and say goodbye, suggesting that the responsibility of identification should not rest solely with the undertakers.
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