LAWUBA – “Only God knows.”
This was said by Gogo Maphalala LaSimelane, the sister-in-law of the late first liSwati Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala.
She said this in an interview with this publication after she had visited the deceased’s homestead with another close family member.
This follows the sad news of the death of Maphalala in South Africa after succumbing to a short illness.
The Times of Eswatini reported that the chief justice was a prominent legal figure who made history as the first indigenous liSwati to be appointed to the country’s highest judicial office.
During his tenure, he presided over numerous high-profile constitutional cases and led key judicial reforms aimed at modernising the nation’s court system. His contribution to the country’s legal landscape was widely acknowledged by members of the legal fraternity and the public alike, making his sudden passing a significant loss to the nation’s judiciary.
Notably, during this publication’s visit yesterday to the Maphalala homestead at Lawuba in the Shiselweni region, a police officer was found at the gate along with some other people whom he said were workers at the Maphalala homestead.
He noted that they were still waiting for other elders of the Maphalala family. There were only about four family members who were spotted leaving the grandmother’s hut. Two of the family members left while two remained behind, sitting outside.
Gogo Maphalala was among the two who left. She confirmed the passing away of her brother-in-law. However, she did not give more details surrounding his death. “We are shocked as a family, and only God knows,” she said.
Gogo Maphalala said that as family members, they were still waiting for other elders of the family as they had a meeting at one of the deceased’s homesteads around Manzini.
However, she mentioned that the funeral of the CJ would be held at his homestead located at Lawuba. Gogo Maphalala said she was not sure when the funeral would be held, as there were certain documents that needed to be finalised by the family since he died in South Africa.
She also noted that community members had not yet started coming to the family to mourn. “We will wait for the other family members at the deceased’s homestead in Manzini to come to this side so that everything can be finalised,” she said.
Meanwhile, community members said they are shocked by the passing away of the CJ. Some of the community members were found gathered near the Maphalala homestead. “We are very shocked by the passing away of Maphalala,” one of the community members said.
He mentioned that last week there was a traditional ceremony of lobola for one of Maphalala’s daughters. “Maphalala was not present at that ceremony. We were told that he was away on national duties,” the community member said.
He passed his condolences to the Maphalala family and the entire country for losing such a man, whom he described as a man of integrity who loved his family.
Meanwhile, another community member also stated that he was shocked by the death of the chief justice. He mentioned that, as community members, they had not yet started visiting the Maphalala family to offer their mourning, which in siSwati is known as kulila.
The community member said that as a community, they were also still waiting for a directive from two of the deceased’s brothers on when they could go to mourn.
One of the deceased’s brothers’ homesteads is situated opposite the chief justice’s homestead, about 100 metres away, while the other brother’s homestead is said to be around Jerusalem, past the CJ’s homestead.
The community member stated that he learnt that the deceased’s two brothers left yesterday morning, and he suspected that they went to the other homestead of the deceased located around Manzini. Meanwhile, the deceased’s sister-in-law, Gogo Maphalala, confirmed that there was a traditional ceremony of lobola at the Maphalala homestead last week. However, she could not confirm whether the deceased was present.
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