Outcry over Mafela’s grave
THE Traditional Healers Association (THA) have come out strongly against the temporary removal of Joe Mafela’s flashy tombstone by the company that made it.
National coordinator of the association‚ Phephisile Maseko, said it was apparently against African tradition to take anything away from a gravesite.
“In our tradition you don’t remove anything from a cemetery. Once you take something to the graveyard it means you have left it for the dead and that it’s theirs now‚” he said.
Despite the comments made by the THA‚ the Mafela family have said they had no problem with the stone being removed.
Mafela’s niece Millicent Mulelu said Bataung Memorial Tombstones‚ the company that made the tombstone‚ informed them they would be removing it.
“Usually in African tradition the tombstone is unveiled a year after the burial‚ but we as the family wanted it to be unveiled along with my uncle’s burial‚” she said.
Mulelu said they were doing things the way they felt was right.
“I refuse to comment on other people’s opinions because everyone will always have an opinion‚” she added.
Mulelu said the stone would be back soon and hoped that the public would give them time to mourn.
Mafela’s 5 446kg tombstone‚ which is a replica of a living room with a plasma TV‚ TV stand and a couch caused a buzz.
Then on Thursday pictures of the veteran actor’s grave without the flashy stone went viral on social media‚ leading to speculation that grave thieves had gotten to it.
However‚ it was later confirmed that the stone was removed to allow the concrete to settle. — TMG