Four members of the Sibuda family of Mbaleni in Thohoyandou, who died in an inferno at their house at Mbaleni a fortnight ago, were finally laid to rest at the local cemetery.

Hundreds of community members came from all corners of the district to bid farewell to the mother and her children during an emotional funeral, which was held Mbaleni cemetery. The funeral was marked by the absence of politicians who had promised to assist the family earlier in the week.

Fellow learners of the deceased at Mbaleni Primary and Mmbara came in their numbers to bid their friends a final farewell. Members of the ZCC were also seen adding spectacle to the proceedings as they danced, wearing their church attire.

Ms Annah Sibuda (37), Zwannda (8), Given (13), and Joyce (17), were all found dead in one room, after allegedly inhaling smoke after the room the children were sleeping in caught fire.

The absence of politicians and lack of assistance from the government infuriated the community and the family. In an interview after the fumeral, the local traditional leader, Chief Thithomelwi Mpaphuli, said the community was greatly saddened by government´s lack of care for the poor. “Last week, government officials came and visited the grieving family and made all sorts of promises. Expectations were raised in the family, who felt that they had a shoulder to lean on, but today as we stand here, none of their promises have materialized. We are greatly saddned,” he said.

He said during the visit they told the family to compile a list a list of their needs, so that they could help. “We did not ask for coffins as we had them ourselves, and we only asked them to assist us in catering for the large number of mourners who came to mourn the tragic deaths."

Mphaphuli said it would have been difficult for the family, had the community not rallied around them. “We are very disturbed when the government we love makes empty promises, mostly to the poor who cannot even afford to bury their loved ones,” he said.

Family member Stephen Sibuda said the family was shocked at the turn of events. “When officials promised that they would assist us, we felt that our pain had been eased. We just hoped that the funeral would go as we had planned, to give our loved us a decent funeral, but officials made a turnaround at the last minute. We are greatly saddened,” he said. He thanked members of the community for having supported the family in their time of grief.

Sibuda said they were thankful to Vhembe executive mayor Falaza Mdaka, who had made a personnal contribution that helped the family a great deal.

Thulamela municipality´s spokesperson, Ndwamato Tshiila, said there was a misunderstanding between the municipality and some members of the family. “We were busy arranging for coffins with the local funeral undertakers with whom we have a good working relationship. The family could not wait for the whole process to be completed and they bought their own coffins. We ended up giving them four food parcels, which included a 25kg bag of mealie meal and some tinned food. We are a caring municipality. We feel the pain the family was going through and we cannot renege on our promise,” he said .