The Kgarudi Royal Family in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, has accused the Hazyview police of failing to act in time to stop the wife of the late Chief Steve Mogane from burying the chief.
It is alleged that Chief Mogane experienced complications last Thursday and was rushed to Themba Hospital in Kabokweni, where he was certified dead upon arrival.
The disgruntled royal family wants a post-mortem to be conducted to determine the cause of death. The family obtained a court order preventing the wife from proceeding with the burial, but it is alleged that the wife has already buried the late chief.
The interim secretary of the tribal authority, Collins Manzini, says the law enforcement agency has failed to protect them.
“The local police station was even saying to us they are fearing to go and arrest the chief’s wife. They were telling us so. As a royal family, we were forced to go and consult with the station commander, where he called his police officers and instructed them to execute the order. Also, in our presence, the station commander called for support from Calcutta police station. That has not happened. The chief’s wife has not been arrested,” says Manzini.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga police say they couldn’t stop the burial from taking place as they found the gates at the chief’s home locked.
Provincial Police Spokesperson, Selvy Mohlala says, “We did dispatch our members to go and apprehend the suspect. Unfortunately, we found that the premises were locked and our members could not access her. This morning, her attorney came and made arrangements that he would definitely bring her tomorrow morning so that she can be charged and taken to court for that particular case.”
