UNdlunkulu 'ughwage' imali yesoso

Keywords:

Abstract:

Dispute is between wives settled by the High Court. The Court ruled that the senior wife <em>Ma</em>Cele whom the junior ‘wife’, <em>Ma</em>Nsibande alleges was divorced by the late Chief Mkhize twenty years ago, and her children had the ultimate right over the body of the <em>e</em>Mbo clan Inkosi. After almost a month at a mortuary, Chief Mkhize’s body was finally buried in Magabheni, South of Durban on Saturday March 15, 2008.

Notes:

<p class="MsoNormal">Translated Version</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em>Ilanga langeSonto</em></strong>, Sunday, March 16, 2008 </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="title">Chief’s senior wife refuses to give up funeral collection</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">by: Menzi Jele</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Once again, pandemonium broke out before the burial of Chief Jabulani <em>ka</em>Disemba Mkhize (57) of the <em>eMbo </em>clan at KwaHlathikhulu in Mtshezi, when a huge crowd protested saying <em>Inkosi </em>will not be buried at Magabheni. Chief Mkhize passed away on February 19 this year but his body has been kept at a mortuary amidst a contestation of who had rights to the body between the family and a certain Ms Balungile Mkhize <em>Ma</em>Nsibande who claimed to also have been married to the late <em>Inkosi</em>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The matter had to be resolved by the Pietermaritzburg High Court which ruled that Chief Mkhize should be buried in Magabheni, South of Durban where his family resides. Chief Mkhize was a school Principal in Mtshezi and also <em>Inkosi </em>of the Mkhize clan at KwaHlathikhulu in Mtshezi. As per norm, the House of Traditional Leaders in the province assists with burial costs and buses to transport people coming to the funeral. But in this case, buses coming to the funeral in Magabheni from Mtshezi were blocked by some people on Friday night. Chief Mkhize was buried (yesterday) on Saturday. Some of the funeral costs had to be borne by the late Chief’s children and his senior wife <em>Ma</em>Cele, whom the High Court ruled, together with her children, had a valid claim over the body.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><em>Inkosi’s </em>family suspects that <em>Ma</em>Nsibande from Greytown with whom the late Chief was staying in Mtshezi had something to do with a crowd of people that prevented bus loads of <em>amabutho </em>from attending Chief Mkhize’s funeral in Magabheni. When the court ruled that Chief Mkhize’s body should be buried by the family, <em>Ma</em>Nsibande with whom he was staying and who is a school teacher in Mtshezi withdrew from the case. <em>Ma</em>Nsibande’s Attorney, Mr. Simphiwe Ntuli, said they are not too bothered because his</p> <p class="MsoNormal">client is the main beneficiary in the late Chief’s will. All that remains for him is to legally deal with the Department of Home Affairs whose carelessness is responsible for the mess. <em>Ma</em>Nsibande insists that as far as she is aware <em>Inkosi </em>divorced <em>Ma</em>Cele in 1988 and married her.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“Even people at the memorial service in Mtshezi were wondering at the hall what was this woman (<em>Ma</em>Cele) doing there because her and <em>Inkosi </em>split long time ago. She told her children to collect a donation. I kept quite and just looked at her. All of a sudden she is at the forefront of donations, whatever happened to all her dollars because she dumped <em>inkosi </em>for an overseas job. My heart is very sore because I have lost a man I loved and whom I swore to love till death us apart do. In death, some people want to claim him as theirs. With <em>Inkosi </em>Mkhize, we got married in broad daylight [<span style="font-size: 10pt">this implies the wedding was witnessed by many]</span>. I was not his concubine because he had divorced his wife. I am sitting here at home I have not been able to even go to the funeral because my heart is very sore. I am trying to recuperate”, cries <em>Ma</em>Nsibande.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">She denies she had anything to do with the people who prevented busloads of <em>amabutho </em>and others from attending <em>Inkosi </em>Mkhize’s funeral in Magabheni. “Chiefs from Mtshezi vowed not to attend any funeral in Magabheni because they know <em>Inkosi </em>Mkhize to be from Escourt in KwaHlathikhulu, even the household where he comes from is there,” continues <em>Ma</em>Nsibande.</p>