Red carpet send-off for street man Katane
MBABANE - Against all odds, emaSwati joined forces to give a dignified ‘red carpet’ send-off to Katane ‘Phineas’ Matsenjwa, who had been living as a street beggar for 36 years.
The funeral was held at Mambane in the Lubombo Region, where Matsenjwa is originally from. Close to 200 people attended the burial of Matsenjwa.
Speaking during the funeral service the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Nongovernmental Organisations, Thembinkosi Dlamini said he was saddened by the living conditions of thousands of citizens, particularly in the rural areas, noting that after 50 years of independence, Eswatini still lacked adequate facilities to cater for the indigent and those facing dire life’s challenges.
Dlamini said it was disheartening that Eswatini lacked adequate institutions to cater for those suffering from infirmity of the mind, the elderly, survivors of gender-based violence and children who lacked proper parental care.
This, Dlamini said, was despite the fact that the Kingdom of Eswatini had committed itself fully to international conventions and frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which were steeped on the need to eradicate poverty, strengthening social safety nets and taking care of the needy.
Contribute
“The country does not lack the financial and other resources to adequately care for everyone. We all have a duty to contribute towards the ongoing efforts to improve the lives of all citizens in line with the dictates of the Constitution and the SDGs,” Dlamini said.
He thanked all emaSwati who held hands and showed solidarity with the Matsenjwas by digging into their already diminished coffers to help give him a dignified burial.
Matsenjwa, whose last spot was at the traffic lights intersection adjacent to the Mbabane Government Hospital, died tragically on November 11, 2022.
The funeral service was supported by contributions from members of the public through an initiative led by The Nation magazine and CANGO. Santa Lucia Funeral Services provided the best facilities to ensure a dignified burial for Matsenjwa.
In his life of begging in the streets he sheltered himself under the trees along the fence of the Blood Bank Building, at the Mbabane Government Hospital.
Msombuluko Matsenjwa, speaking on behalf of the family, thanked The Nation magazine and CANGO for the initiative of helping his deceased relative get a dignified funeral. He also thanked businesses and members of the public who contributed towards the success of the initiative.