A Tsholotsho family reportedly repatriated and buried a wrong corpse from South Africa after they failed to properly conduct body viewing assuming it was the body of a deceased relative.
According to a police memorandum seen by CITE, the family of Bhekisisa Moyo (25), who was fatally assaulted by a group of people in Diepsloot Extension 6, mistakenly took the body of Coaster Chauke (28) of Mutsengi Tsakisi’s homestead, Chiredzi who was stabbed to death in the same suburb.
Moyo’s family, due to cultural reasons, did not properly conduct body viewing of the deceased.
The memo states that the bodies were both kept at Diepsloot Government Hospital Mortuary.
“On the 4th of September 2019, the two bodies were taken to Diepsloot Funeral Parlor of plot 125 Muldersdritt Road Centurion, Gauteng Province, South Africa pending processing of papers to repatriate and transport the bodies to Zimbabwe for Burial,” read the memo.
It further read: “On September 13, three members of Moyo’s family mistakenly took the body of Chauke and proceeded to Tsholotsho for burial. The burial was conducted on 15 September in Tsholotsho without conducting proper body viewing due to respect for their cultural values.”
The memo stated that the mishap was discovered when Chauke’s family members went to get the deceased’s remains.
“On September 20, Joseph Chinhemba, brother to Chauke realised upon identification that the body in the mortuary was a wrong one.
“After verification with the Funeral Parlour, it was discovered that Chauke’s body had been taken to Tsholotsho. The Chiredzi family then took Moyo’s remains to Tsholotsho,” it read.
Chauke’s family members reportedly took Moyo’s body to Tsholotsho and found that their family member had already been buried.
“The matter was referred to the District Administrator, The District Registrar’s Office and the Resident Magistrate for the exhumation of the remains of Chauke. Moyo is set to be buried in Tsholotsho, Tuesday. The remains of Chauke will be taken to Chiredzi for burial,” the memo read.
