The family of the late Thivhalitshi Mutheiwana is accusing the ANC of being insensitive for “using their funeral to campaign for the coming elections.”

Mutheiwana was attacked and killed by a huge crocodile while he was fishing at Luvuvhu River last Saturday. His brother, Oscar Mutheiwana, says: “ANC councillor Constance Mphaphuli approached us and took a picture of my late brother while promising that they would organise T-shirts for us that are bearing his pictures on the front. Mphaphuli said she would bring the T-shirts before the funeral, so they can be used on the day of his funeral. To our surprise, Mphaphuli brought 20 maroon T-shirts, bearing Jacob Zuma’s face with the ANC’s emblems. The T-shirts also encourage people to vote for the ANC in the coming elections,” says Oscar.

Asked if his late younger brother or any of the family members were registered members of the party, Oscar said: “We are very disturbed because neither my late brother nor my parents or my sister who is staying with the family is affiliated to the ANC. These people are heartless. They came here with the promise of helping us, but they used us to campaign for their party. Even Khathutshelo Netshifhefhe was not ashamed to tell the mourners during the funeral that they must go and vote for the ANC as we expected Thivhalitshi to go and vote in the coming elections,” says Oscar, while adding that his family will struggle to support itself as his younger brother was the breadwinner.

Approached for comment, Mphaphuli confirmed that they delivered ANC T-shirts because they were available and it is election time. When asked about the promise of T-shirts that would bear Thivhalitshi’s face, Mphaphuli said: “We never made that promise.”

Mphaphuli said they understood that the family were ANC supporters and this is why the T-shirts were handed out.

Oscar also revealed that his younger brother once survived another attack by a crocodile while they were together in the same river two years ago. Oscar says he saved his younger brother by attacking the crocodile while it was grabbing him by the leg.

Meanwhile, Thivhalitshi was honoured by his school where one of the new blocks of the 24 classes that are being built was named after him.