The sister of a man who "mysteriously died after eating a piece of boerewors" has obtained an urgent interdict against his estranged wife and the funeral undertakers that he may not be buried until a post-mortem to determine the cause of death was done.
The Pretoria High Court recently heard that Samuel Phukhubje died on February 15 in Mabopane, four days after eating the boerewors.
His sister, Martha Mphela, said in a statement before court that her brother and his wife Martha Phukubje were on the brink of divorce when he died.
The divorce hearing was set down for March 24.
On February 11 the deceased's son gave him the boerewors "which he brought from the house". Samuel immediately complained of stomach pains after eating the meat. He was still complaining about the "terrible stomach pains" four days later and was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
Mphela said following the "mysterious death" of her brother, she asked his wife to submit his body for pathological examination to determine the cause of death.
The woman at first agreed, she said, but when they returned the next day to arrange for the examination, she "chased us away, calling us witches and wizards".
Mphela said she reported the matter to Mabopane police, since she suspected her brother had died of food poisoning. "The police said I could not do anything about the body, as he was married and his wife had a say over his body."
Mphela said although the cause of death stated on the death certificate was given as natural causes, she "believed that there was foul play".
Mphela said it would cost R50 000 to exhume the body if it was buried without the examination being performed. Judge Ferdi Preller interdicted the undertakers from releasing the body into the custody of his wife. He also ordered the police to investigate the cause of death.