Court settles family feud over funeral

A FEUD between a wife and her stepson over the right to bury the remains of her husband and his father had to be resolved in the Durban High Court this week.

The Mchunu family from Ntuzuma township wanted the court to decide whether the second wife of Mshiyeni Mchunu or his son from his first marriage would get permission to organise his funeral.

Mchunu, who died on January 3, was survived by his wife, Boniwe Mchunu, and eight children, including those from his first wife who was already deceased.

At the time of his death, Mchunu was living with his eldest son, Shadrack, who was at loggerheads with Boniwe over his father’s body.

When Boniwe found out that Shadrack was planning his father’s funeral, which was to take place in Ntuzuma, and the funeral parlour would not release the body to her, she headed to court on Friday.

In an affidavit, she claimed it was always her late husband’s desire and his dying wish to be buried with his ancestors at the family grave site in Gingindlovu, near Kwadukuza.

Shadrack had already concluded all the funeral arrangements and planned that it would take place in Ntuzuma.

However, Durban High Court Judge Bongani Mngadi issued an order in favour of Boniwe, instructing the funeral parlour to release the body to her and for the funeral to take place in Gingindlovu. “In terms of our tradition and culture, if my late husband is not buried at the family grave site, this will anger and upset his ancestors.

Ill fate will then be cast on the surviving members of his family,” said Boniwe. In his replying affidavit, Shadrack alleged that Boniwe was no longer in a romantic relationship with his father and had abandoned him.

Shadrack said he had already spent R50 000 in preparation for the funeral, only for it to be cancelled late on Friday.

“Our late mother stayed at Ntuzuma with our father from 1983 until her death. We lived our entire lives at Ntuzuma. All our rituals and traditional ceremonies have been held at our home in Ntuzuma,” he said.

The funeral is expected to take place in Gingindlovu today.