From Swaziland:
MAFUCULA – Some mourners at the funeral of Lucky Nhlanhla Sifundza, the Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation (RSSC) employee who went missing and was confirmed dead three weeks later, were disappointed that they could not see what was inside his casket.
They had hoped that the Sifundzas would open the casket and allow them to see what was inside before taking it to the cemetery.
They were interested in seeing the inside of the light-brown casket because they had heard that only the deceased’s clothes would be buried. His body was never found.
The funeral was at Mafucula community cemetery yesterday.
The area is situated about 30 kilometres from Tambankulu on the way to Mhlume.
As the vigil continued, some of the mourners kept asking one another if the casket would be opened so that they could see what was inside.
Attending the funeral were more than 300 people who included Lucky’s colleagues.
At around 4am, one of the elders of the family made an announcement that it was time for the family to start preparing for the burial.
Mourners waited with the hope that the clothes in the casket would be displayed.
This did not happen.
It’s a thought that has crossed my mind more than once…is the right person in the box? Or, is there a person in there at all? (And not just at Co-op funerals either)