Mourners gather in hundreds for funerals
Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in South Africa, which hit 240 yesterday, it was business as usual for many township families who buried their loved ones this weekend.
From Seshego to Alexandra; Soweto to Tembisa – many in the country’s populous townships went about conducting funerals and weddings without regard to new regulations
in terms of which gatherings are limited to a maximum of 100 people.
Churches are also expected to battle with who to allow in or not today.
In the Vaal, an elderly woman was laid to rest. In a video leaked to Sunday World, more than 100 community members are seen marching through the streets singing and chanting – oblivious of the virus and the need for social distancing.
According to the source, the police were called to disperse the gathering.
“The deceased was well-known in our street as a fan of Kaizer Chiefs. She died a week ago,” said the source.
On the other side of town, a prominent ANC member was laid to rest in Alexandra.
Three buses full of mourners and many cars joined the procession.
“This funeral was huge and went all the way to the mall. Three buses filled with mourners, and maybe over a 100 cars filled the street,” said the source.
Popular author Khaya Dlanga’s family found a loophole to the new regulations. He announced that his brother, Nganga, would be remembered at the Christian Centre in East London.
In a Twitter post Dlanga said: “Please note that due to the government regulations, the service will be limited to 300 people seated on three different floors limited to no more than 100 per area.”
In Eldorado Park, the three siblings who were killed in the Golden Highway accident were laid to rest yesterday.
The family spokesman, Noel Maart, told eNCA yesterday that the family was conscious
about the number of mourners who wanted to attend the funeral.
“We just appealed to them to line the roads because we are very conscious about the banning of more than 100 people as the president has said in his proclamation. But it is so hard to control this part where mourners are coming in,” said Maart.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said this week: “On the issue of funerals and weddings, no more than 100 people will be allowed to gather at any given time. Where the event or ceremony can be postponed, people are encouraged to go that route for their own protection and that of those they would have invited.”
