Omg! Dead Chief Remains Unburied for 5 Months as Wives Fight Bitterly Over Right to Bury Him

A rural chief who had already died has been left without a burial as his wives fight a bitter battle over who has the right to bury him.

 

File photo: Mortuary

 

Chief Bagcine Mkhono, a South African, rural chief’s body is lying in a cold mortuary five months after his death – because his two wives are involved in a bitter legal battle over the right to bury him, Daily Sun SA, reports.

 

The late chief Mkhono died in November. At the time of his death, he was living with his second wife, Nonzwakazi.

 

Last year – just a day before his funeral – the chief’s first wife, Noncedile, contested the legality of the second wife by taking her to court.

 

She is demanding to bury her husband as per custom. However, the second wife is refusing to hand over the body, claiming that the chief’s dying wish was to be buried by her.

 

Noncedile took the matter to the Mthatha High Court. She is alleging that the will and marriage certificate that Nonzwakazi produced are both fake. Noncedile claims the will was signed on 13 November although the chief had died on 7 November.

 

The Mthatha High Court heard the matter on Monday. Villagers from Mchonkco in Ngqeleni travelled to the high court. They sang and chanted outside, split in their support.

 

The chief was said to be legally married to Noncedile and later took Nonzwakazi as his second wife, according to customary law.

 

A saddened elder from the village who attended the court, madala Mcingelwa Mnqunqu (76), said they were heartbroken by the situation which has destroyed the peace in the area.

 

“We have tried to talk to Nonzwakazi about this but she claims she is just following the last wishes of the late chief,” said Mnqunqu.

 

Advocate Mwelo Nonkonyana who is representing Noncedile said they are questioning the validity of the second marriage as well as the will left by Chief Bagcine.

 

“It will be in the interests of justice to solve this matter as soon as possible as the body of the deceased has spent five months in the mortuary,” said Nonkonyana.

 

The chief’s children have declined to comment until judgment is passed.

 

The case was postponed to 12 May.