Limpopo court grants Chisale (116) burial rights

Funeral after farm owner overruled

A Limpopo centenarian was applauded during his funeral service yesterday as a landrights champion who fought until his last breath .

John Chisale, who was 116 years old when he died, had been lying in a mortuary for three weeks after his family was denied burial rights by the owner of the farm where he lived for 70 years.

On Friday, the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane ruled in the family’s favour, declaring that farm owner Isabella Susanna Pretorius should allow Chisale to be buried on the property in Lephalale.

Born in Malawi on January 10 1901, Chisale came to South Africa in 1947 and started working for Piet Pretorius, who is the current land owner’s father.

Chisale got married to Maafina Bertha Seleka in 1952 and they had three daughters.

He is survived by 16 grandchildren and 141 great-grandchildren.

Yesterday, relatives, friends and government officials gathered at the Worcester Farm to pay their last respects.

Chisale’s granddaughter, Dimakatso Sarah Motebele, who was the applicant in the case, said they were relieved to finally lay him to rest. “We are very relieved. My heart is at peace that we are able to bury my grandfather,” she said.

Despite winning the court victory, Motebele said the remaining family members would continue to live in fear of being evicted from the farm. “At this moment, I am afraid that the white people might try to evict me. But I will stay on this land and trust in God,” she said.

Mapula Mnisi from land rights group Nkuzi Development Association described Chisale as a dedicated activist.

“He persevered and he did not give up his fight. He was victorious even after death.”

Mnisi recalled how Chisale first brought his case to the organisation when he was already 105, saying that old age never stopped him.

During his lifetime Chisale had approached the courts in 2006 and 2007 to challenge unfair treatment by Pretorius. He won the cases on both occasions.

Chief whip at the Lephalale municipality Tlhabiwa Thulare also said: “We are still concerned that in this day and age there are still white people who are resistant to change.”