INYANGA WANTS FAMILY BARRED FROM MUM’S FUNERAL

MBABANE – A South Africa-based traditional healer has taken some members of his family to court to stop them from attending his late mother’s funeral.

The traditional healer, Joseph Sibiya of Mpompane, Mndobandoba, in the Lubombo Region, alleged that his late mother, Esellinah Sibiya, gave him strict instructions that her elder son, Thomas Sibiya and other relatives, should not attend her funeral. 

These are Thomas’s wife, Minah Matsenjwa, his cousin Josephine Ndzimandze and his children Sibonisile, Sibusiso, Nkosingiphile and Nkosinathi. They are respondents in the matter. Others are Chief Mshikashika Ngcamphalala II, Indvuna Johane Dlamini, Ephafeni Royal Kraal, Nhlangano Funeral Parlour, the police and attorney general.

Joseph approached the High Court after Thomas, his children and cousin, accused him and Esellinah of practising witchcraft and causing them bad luck. As a result of the accusations, according to Joseph, he and his mother moved out of the main homestead. 

Homestead 

He said his mother established a homestead in 2006 and he built her a house where she stayed until she died. In papers Joseph filed in court, he is seeking orders interdicting the respondents from making funeral arrangements at any place other than at the homestead of the deceased at Mpompane. 

He wants the court to interdict them from making public announcements on national radio regarding the funeral and making a decision about where Esellinah is to be buried.

Joseph further applied that the court should declare the indefinite postponement of the funeral by the royal kraal unlawful and that the decision should be set aside. The funeral, according to Joseph, was postponed on December 22, 2020 because Thomas and his family could not be allowed to attend. Joseph submitted that Esellinah, who was 98 years old, died on December 18, 2020 having not executed a Will. He said his father died in the 1990s. Esellinah had seven children, however, three died and four are remaining. Joseph informed the court that Thomas was his eldest brother. He stated that the family enjoyed good relations for a long time until Thomas, his wife and children, allegedly started accusing him and Esellinah of practising witchcraft. 

“I must state that these accusations have plagued our extended family for a long time and we have lived with these hostilities and bad blood ever since the death of our father,” he submitted.

Vacate 

Joseph stated that sometime in 2001, he decided to vacate the main homestead and established his own a stone’s throw away. He said he took the decision because of the alleged relentless accusations from Thomas and the others that he practised witchcraft and made them zombies. He alleged that Thomas’s wife was at the forefront, making the accusations such that her children began to hate Esellinah, their grandmother. 

 He said a number of meetings were, held but a solution could not be reached.  Joseph alleged that Thomas failed to restrain his wife and children from propagating the view that he and Esellinah bewitched them. According to Joseph, there were confrontations and the respondents told Esellinah to her face that she had bewitched them.

The applicant alleged that they threatened to burn down Esellinah’s house and she moved out of the main homestead, which was her marital homestead.  Joseph said he spent most of his time at Empangeni in the Republic of South Africa, where he worked as a traditional healer. He alleged that Esellinah instructed him not to allow Thomas and his family to attend her funeral.

“Our mother called me before her death and issued an instruction to the effect that she does not want Thomas and his family at her funeral and that her remains should be buried next to her husband’s grave behind the homestead,” he added.

Burial 

Joseph pointed out that at Mpompane, there was a communal burial site and Chief Mshikashika II had instructed the residents that everyone should be buried there and if one intended to bury their loved one at their homestead, they should pay two cows at the royal kraal. The applicant submitted that he was prepared to give his mother a decent burial as per her wishes. He said he did not require any contribution from the respondents.

Joseph informed the court that Thomas, when he heard that Esellinah had died, allegedly said he would not attend the funeral because the deceased had not apologised to him.  He alleged that Thomas openly hated their mother and allowed his wife to spread the allegation of witchcraft.

The applicant told the court that Thomas’s son, Nkosingiphile, allegedly informed his uncle’s son, Alpheus Sibiya,that the funeral was deliberately postponed to frustrate Joseph because he had a lot of money. 

“They, in fact, want the food to rot and the charges to escalate. The respondents are heartless and they do not have compassion. ”

Joseph also submitted that in 2019, he was assaulted at his home after Thomas allegedly set his children on him and they attacked him with a bush knife and he lost his sight and his left arm had to be amputated. The applicants were represented by Khumbulani Msibi of Dlamini Kunene Associated. The matter was withdrawn last week.

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