Senzo Meyiwa’s family has secretly exhumed the remains of his twin brother, Siya Meyiwa, and reburied them in the same grave with the slain Bafana Bafana goalkeeper.
The exhumation was done at a low key family ritual attended by close family members about three years ago.
The startling news, which was covered in a veil of secrecy, was revealed by a close relative on Friday ahead of Senzo’s tombstone unveiling ceremony on Tuesday.
The relative said the Meyiwa family exhumed Siya’s remains from Madlakeni Cemetery where he was laid to rest after drowning in the sea while swimming many years ago.
The family then dug up the slain Bafana Bafana’s grave in Heroes Acres, which was reserved for local heroes and heroines, and buried Siya’s remains in it.
The kin said the family did so after obtaining permission from the local authority. Another relative said the request was made by Senzo’s late father, Sam Meyiwa, who argued that in Zulu culture and tradition, twins could not be buried in two separate graves.
“Because they couldn’t allow Siya to have a separate grave, they allowed the family to bury him in the same grave with Senzo,” said the relative.
Senzo’s brother, Sfiso Meyiwa, confirmed that Siya’s remains were exhumed from the cemetery and reburied in the deceased footie’s tomb.
“We did that about three years ago when my father was still alive. He is the one who was leading the process.
“We followed all the procedures that needed to be followed with our local city parks and they allowed us to do so,” he said.
Sfiso also said they were happy to have been able to reunite Senzo and Siya’s spirits and hope that they were resting in peace together, adding that they have also engraved Siya’s name and epitaph on Senzo’s tombstone.
“Both names are there on the tombstone, they are indeed there.”
Senzo was gunned down at his then girlfriend and singer Kelly Khumalo’s Vosloorus house in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery.
Five suspects Muzikawulahlelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mothobisi Mncube, Mthokosenzi Maphisa and Sifikuhlenhle Nkani Ntuli were arrested by the police in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last month in connection with his death.
They were remanded in custody when they appeared in the Boksburg magistrate’s court and the case was postponed to November 27 for further investigations.
