Call for clarity following violation of lockdown rules during Dr Mini’s funeral service

Clarity is being sought on the protocols to be observed during funerals for COVID-19 patients.

This follows failure to adhere to some regulations during the funeral of the revered struggle icon and health activist, Dr Clarence Mini on Sunday at Fourways Memorial Park in Johannesburg.

Dr Mini succumbed to COVID-19-related complications last week after being in hospital for more than a month.

According to the regulations, the burial has to take place within three days; there should be no memorial service and the funeral service should not be longer than two hours. But the regulations were not followed during Dr Mini’s funeral.

Below is the video of Dr Mini’s funeral service:

Political analyst Lukhona Mnguni says government must explain if there is elite bias in the implementation of the regulations.

“Recently we saw the virtual memorial service for the late stalwart Dennis Goldberg and that was encouraging because it meant that we don’t have an elite bias in the implementation of our regulations and everybody is abiding by the regulations because in the moment of crisis and restlessness in as we are seeing at this point of our lockdown, in particular, you want to gain as much consensus from the public as possible and can only be done if those who are seen as leaders in society are leading from the front and not seeking special treatment and favours,” he says.

Dr Mini was laid to rest on Sunday.

He was hailed as a champion for health in South Africa having worked extensively in support of  HIV/Aids initiatives.

Below is an infographic on punishable practices during the current level 4 lockdown: