Where’s the tombstone?

THE family of slain Bafana Bafana captain and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, pictured, says the eThekwini Municipality and national government had promised to take care of his funeral, including erecting a tombstone at his grave.

Meyiwa’s brother Sya told The Star’s sister paper, the Daily News, yesterday that they had trusted the government and believed that the then eThekwini officials would deliver on their promise.

However, five years later that promise had proven to be a lie as his brother’s grave was still without a tombstone, he said.

Despite being given a state funeral, there is nothing visible to indicate that the grave at Heroes Acre Cemetery in Chesterville is that of the former national hero.

A green-and-purple flower bed is all that covers Meyiwa’s burial plot in the cemetery.

EThekwini Parks Department head Thembinkosi Ngcobo said although the city had plans to preserve the Heroes Acre cemetery, the decision to erect tombstones was the responsibility of the respective families.

Sya said he remembered meetings held at the Meyiwa home in uMlazi during the funeral arrangements, when both national and provincial government leaders, including eThekwini Municipality officials, came to offer their assistance. This, he said, included the burial plot and an offer to erect a tombstone. “I remember that the family had already made a decision that Senzo would be buried in uMlazi, but the government motivated for Senzo to be given a state funeral,” said Siya.

Last week, AfriForum’s private prosecution unit announced it would be representing the Meyiwa family to bring Senzo Meyiwa’s killer to book.