POLITICAL ACTIVIST KILLS HIMSELF 1YR AFTER PENNING HIS OBITUARY

MANZINI – A family is distraught after one of their own took his life, exactly a year after writing his own obituary.

Political activist and former Student Representative Council (SRC) President of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Baphatse George Dhladhla, 25, took his life in the wee hours of yesterday morning.

The incident happened at Ngwane Park. According to the deceased’s cousin, Zandile Dhladhla, Baphatse committed suicide almost a year after he had written his obituary.

He was found hanging from a tree yesterday morning.
According to Zandile, this was five days shy from the exact date the deceased wrote his obituary last year. He is said to have written it on June 15, 2018.
Elders

Contents of the obituary were not available as it is said to have been  collected by family members with some of the deceased’s items to his parental home – KaBhudla.

Zandile said they had discovered the obituary while Baphatse was still alive. “When the obituary was discovered, we engaged him. Jokingly, Baphatse said he did not want us to tell lies during his funeral. Other than that, it was about his background and what he stood for.”

She said within the obituary, the deceased had also articulated who he wanted to speak during his ‘going home’ ceremony.
Zandile said the suicide by her cousin had shocked her, as on Sunday, Baphatse was jovial as he returned from spending the day with his community at KaBhudla – where there were soccer games.

She said the deceased was in a cheerful mood as always, given that his hometown team had won the tournament. Zandile said it was her birthday on Sunday and Baphatse had informed her that he would take her out for lunch today (yesterday).

With tears welling in her eyes, Zandile recalled her last moments with the deceased and said: “Baphatse said he had lost his phone and if it were not for that, he would have organised me something special (on Sunday). After saying that, he alluded to hanging himself if he did not find the misplaced phone.”

She said after Baphatse’s assertion that he would hang himself; they disregarded it as one of his comical statements - only to be proven wrong yesterday morning. Zandile said they went to bed without even thinking twice on this declaration.

She said a friend, who had visited them, requested to use the bathroom, which is detached from the main house and while the acquaintance was headed there - the friend found Baphatse hanging from the tree.
The tree is about 20 metres from the main entrance to the family house and it is also 20 metres away from the main road linking Ludwala and Sihlahleni in Ngwane Park.

In shock, it is said the friend screamed, drawing the attention of those who were still asleep as it was around 8am. When they discovered the body of Baphatse, Zandile said there were about four people in the yard – including the acquaintance who had visited.

Morgue

After realising that he had already passed on, Zandile said they contacted the police – who came to collect the body and took it to the morgue.
“What pains us is that he did not even write a note to state why he took such a decision.”
The sad part, according to Zandile, was that the phone her cousin had in jest said he would kill himself over – if not found, was actually left with a church member.

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