Pretoria - A memorial service for two children who were allegedly killed by their mother seven months ago took place at the Mlambo Community Hall in Saulsville.
The siblings, Kamogelo, 5, and Relebogile, 8, will be buried tomorrow.
The bodies, discovered burnt beyond recognition in an abandoned building, had been held in a government mortuary all this time.
It is believed that the siblings were burnt by their mother and dumped in the building not far from their home in February.
Their remains were then taken to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital for a post-mortem.
Neighbours and relatives last month said they had grown increasingly frustrated as they watched the children’s grandmother, 68-year-old Virginia Motsaneng, struggling to make peace with the loss of her grandchildren.
This prompted the intervention of ActionSA, who visited the family with lawyers and promised to push for the bodies to be released so the family could bury them.
Civil rights organisation #NotInMyName also joined the fray and assisted the family.
The delays affected the health of Motsaneng, who ended up being admitted at Kalafong Hospital.
The children’s mother – her daughter – was arrested and is still languishing behind bars.
Abel Tau of ActionSA yesterday said it was sad to think that justice in South Africa had been privatised.
He said it was only after the family was given lawyers from Thuli Nkomo Attorneys that they were taken seriously and the bodies released on Monday.
“We are excited because this is humbling and it takes us back to an understanding that the opportunity we have to service society should benefit society.
“When you are given a role in society as a public representative or somebody who has to make decisions, you have to do so with humility and the understanding that there are poor people who have to live with the decisions you make.
“Finally, Motsaneng can now lay the children to rest, and we have committed to arrange for psychological support for her afterwards as she will begin the healing process,” said Tau.
Speaking for the family at the memorial service, Mashadi Mogolegwa of Rekgonne Warriors Foundation said the grandmother was very happy that she would finally be able to bury the children.
“You have to remember that what happened here goes against our tradition, and to make matters worse, she has lost all members of her family.
“Her son died a while ago and her daughter, who is now in prison, was the only surviving child.”
Pretoria News