Durban - The family of a man who was “accidentally” given a paupers burial because his body was unidentified for more than a year in the state mortuary, have hit another snag.
They now have to wait for at least another two years before his remains can be exhumed and the rituals performed so that he can rest in peace.
This followed the new regulation implemented by the eThekwini municipality, which came into effect in October.
Nhlakanipho Myeza, 26, disappeared in June last year after he was allegedly assaulted by a taxi boss and his workers from uMlazi who accused him of theft.
A witness to the assault, whose whereabouts are still not known, informed Myeza’s family of the assault; however, they were reluctant to approach the taxi owner out of fear.
Hours following the assault, paramedics attended to a man who was dumped on the side of the road and with an open wound to the head, had visible stab wounds and skin blisters that peeled off as though burnt.
The injured man, who would later be identified as Myeza, provided paramedics with a name before he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
He was then taken to the Gale Street Mortuary.
Months went by without positive identification until recently when police visited his family with news that Myeza was positively identified.
The family was then taken to Gale Street but to their surprise were told that Myeza was given a pauper’s burial in mid July.
Myeza’s sister, Nelly, said the news came as a shock and that her brother should not have been buried because the police tracked the family.
She said they were initially told by the City it would take at least eight weeks to exhume Myeza’s remains but when they initiated the process, the municipality backtracked and told them to wait another two years.
“They asked us to pay R1 700 for him to be exhumed and to conduct a DNA test.
“How can we wait two years to bury him?
“What state will he be in then?
“His soul needs to rest in peace”, said Nelly.
Msawakhe Mayisela, eThekwini municipality’s spokesperson said the costs depended on the nature of exhumation that would be conducted.
He said tariffs varied and were between R241, R1 737 and R3 010.
“The new requirements are by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
“All future exhumation and re-interment applications approvals will be granted at least two years after re-interment.
“Approval for exhumation, where death was by infectious disease, can only be granted four years after re-interment.
“If death was unnatural but the death certificate indicates natural cause, the applicant will be required to obtain an affidavit from the relevant medical doctor indicating whether death was by infectious disease or not.
“The affidavit need not be specific on cause of death.”
He said some of the requirements will not apply where the application will be to move the human remains from one grave to the other within the same cemetery or to return the remains to the same grave.
“This is effective from October 17 onwards and further note that approval can be granted under special circumstances.
“Such can be determined case by case.”
Sunday Tribune