There was drama at a funeral wake at Tshapfutshe village outside Beit Bridge, when the relatives of a dead woman descended on their in-laws’ homestead and abducted their daughter’s body for burial at their rural home in neighbouring Save village.

According to witnesses, the spectacle, which lasted for about 15 minutes, occurred on Sunday at around 06:00 at the homestead, where mourners had gathered for the burial of Barbara Mahlekete.

“It happened so fast that we were also left shocked. Six men arrived and walked into the yard in military style and, without even greeting anyone, they went straight to one of the huts, where they kicked the door open. While inside, they grabbed the widower by his trousers and brought him out of hut. They started wrestling with him as they shouted obscenities and demanded that he give them the body of the deceased, so that they could bury it themselves at their village,” said Mr Lameck Nguluvhe, a witness.

The mother of Mr Tererai Mushipe, the widower, saved the day when she pleaded with Mahlekete’s relatives to let go of her son and collect the body. The six men then proceeded to the hut where the body was temporarily kept while waiting for burial later in day. They took it to their car and drove off at high speed, leaving mourners stunned.

The body was ferried to Save village, where the dead woman’s family had reportedly made their own burial arrangements. “It was so embarrassing, and I believe what these people did is repugnant to our African culture. Even if people had their differences, it was not proper to display them in that manner. Everyone was really shocked because the grave had already been dug,” said another witness, who declined to be named.

Soon after the fracas, one of the elders addressed the mourners. Afterwards, they filled the empty grave before they ate the food that had been prepared for the occasion and departed to their homes.

According to a source, the two families had had a long standing dispute because the dead woman’s relatives accused their son-in-law of neglecting their daughter and for the manner in which he handled her while she was ill. “There has always been a misunderstanding between the two families, to the extent that, prior to the fateful day, they were conducting parallel funeral services. The deceased woman’s relatives had gathered at a house in Beit Bridge while the in-laws were holding their funeral at Tshapfutshe village,” said the source.