Villagers in Cisira outside Peddie have appealed for financial assistance to help bury four family members who died in a suspected murder-suicide on Wednesday last week.
Noseko Ntshabase, 62, her daughter, Bongeka, 35, and her two grandchildren, Lisemi, 7, and Wamkeliwe, 2, were found inside their home, their bodies lying a few metres apart.
When the police arrived, they found several packets of prescription pills lying next to one of the beds and two jugs filled with what is believed to have been pills dissolved in water.
According to information in the police report, Bongeka’s body was found in the passage. Noseko was found in the lounge near the front door.
Lisemi and Wamkeliwe were on separate beds in the main bedroom.
The funeral will take place from the family home on Sunday.
Community activist Petros Majola said they had asked for assistance to conclude the burial as they awaited postmortem results.
“Though we have no reasonable grounds to suspect any foul play, we bank on the outcomes of the autopsy report,” he said.
“It is shocking that the whole family could end like this, we need a proper investigation.
“Forensics must do proper research and dig deep so that if there’s anything being hidden in this, it must be revealed.
“It is not easy to just accept this news, we have a lot of suspicions.
“If they ate something poisonous or they were fed expired food, we will see in the outcomes of the postmortems.”
Majola said the community was battling to access the family’s funeral policies as they had lapsed.
“This was a poor family. We would like people to assist with whatever they can so that they can be buried.
“It looks like there are issues with the funeral service providers that could lead to a lot of conflict before the funeral.
“We want the Ngqushwa mayor to declare this a disaster so that whatever assistance comes in can quickly help this family.”
On Monday, Ngqushwa mayor Sanga Maneli and representatives of various NGOs visited the family home.
Groceries were handed over to the extended family.
Maneli told the Dispatch the municipality could not provide financial support because of the Municipal Cost Containment Regulations gazetted in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act in 2019.
Maneli said: “I visited the family in my capacity as mayor to pass on my condolences.
“As a municipality we can’t do anything because we don’t have a policy that speaks to proper burials.
“But I know that private business is assisting the family in preparation for the funeral.
“We also urge good Samaritans to go and lend a helping hand.”
Provincial social development spokesperson Mzukisi Solani could not be reached for comment.
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