THOHOYANDOU – The Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court has denied bail to six men arrested for allegedly interfering with a grave and malicious damage to property.

The six men, Takalani Nelwamondo (23), Godfrey Ramahani (23), Frans Kgobe (23), Spenza Nemakanga (27), Mmbangiseni Nekhalale (32) and Rembuluwani Nemaunzeni (27) appeared in the court last Thursday, after a case that was opened against them by the Nebodzandala family on Tuesday.

Nelwamondo and Ramahani were first arrested on Tuesday evening after they were found digging a hole along the grave of the late Baitebadi Nebodzandala, who was buried the previous Sunday morning at Tshakhuma. According to Ms Esther Nebodzandala, the family found the two boys digging next to the grave, while the other four were standing next to the grave.

After confronting them, the youth said their boss, Ramaano John Sigidi of Tshitshite Funeral Services, the same undertaker that buried Baitebadi have sent them. The family said they suspected that the men wanted to take out the coffin, which they paid for R12 500 to the same undertaker.

The family arrested the two who were found digging the grave and handed them to the Levubu Police, who later released them. The six who are all attached to Tshitshite, were then taken to custody after they were refused bail on Thursday. Their case was postponed to November 11 for further investigations.

Tshitshite's boss, Sigidi said he was disappointed about the decision taken by the family to report the case to the police. He said he was very hurt that "some hungry people want to destroy my business for their own reasons." Sigidi, who claimed he did not know how much the coffin is worth, even though it came from them, said, "I understand that I did wrong by digging closer to their grave. However, my intention was to match the tiles on that grave with the one of the family we wanted to serve this week. I know I might have done wrong."

"I am a man who serves people. I did not want to take legal steps as it might hurt someone. I did not want to hurt anybody, but now I am hurt. I did that knowing that I was doing the right thing. I do not think it is necessary to take that matter to court. I just wanted to match the tiles. We should have settled this amongst us," said Sigidi.

However, Esther said it was shocking that Sigidi claims he does not know the price of the coffin of her mother. "It is strange that he says he does not know the price. We are very hurt. We buried our mother on Sunday and found damage hardly two days later."

Meanwhile, the tribal office of Tshakhuma said they were not aware that there was a person from Thohoyandou who was going to be buried in their cemetery, as Sigidi claimed.