The members of a family in Burgersfort, Limpopo, say they are relieved to have finally received the remains of their loved one.
They have waited for over a year for the completion of DNA tests on their daughter who was killed, allegedly by her boyfriend.
Twenty eight-year-old Nanikana Mogashoa was burnt beyond recognition at Ribacross in Burgersfort in December 2020.
Her boyfriend, Lucky Mokoena also caught fire, and died of burn wounds in hospital a few weeks later.
Mogashoa’s remains were handed to the family last week and she will be buried on Sunday. Her mother, Monica Mogashoa says she still cannot believe that she has finally got an opportunity to bury her daughter.
“Finally I will get a chance to sleep at night, because I always had sleepless nights, thinking about my daughter. I had already lost hope that the remains of my daughter could be brought, after waiting for so long. I thought maybe my daughter was sold and they don’t want to tell me the truth. Her child will also get closure after burying her mother.”
The couple’s child who was nine-years-old when Mogashoa was killed, witnessed the killing.
Mogashoa’s sister, Gloria and her paternal aunt, Francinah Nyoni says now a burden has been lifted from their shoulders as they will be able to bury her.
“I am thankful for what the SABC has done for us, by reporting about this issue, and finally we got the remains of my sister for burial. We will now get closure, because it’s been a while and we have been waiting since 2020 without answers. We are mourning and it’s a sad day for us. But we want to thank you SABC for reporting about this matter. Nanikana’s death hurt us the most and finally she will rest in peace.”
Meanwhile, ward councillor in the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, Oupa Malapane, say the municipality intervened after hearing on SABC News about the delay in the release of the results of the DNA tests.
“I called the mayor, honorable Eddie Maila for intervention. So he managed to come with the Exco team and the municipal officials for intervention. The mayor himself on that day during his visit, he managed to write the letter to Phophi Ramathuba and also to write the letter to Department of Health and Safety at the provincial level for making the intervention of delayed arrival of the corpse, whereby the family has been waiting for the period of a long time, waiting for the DNA test.”
