• A community celebrates men who dig graves for free to help grieving families.

• Local politician throws a party to honour volunteers who support the poor.

The men who dig graves for free in a rural KwaZulu-Natal village finally got their own celebration and recognition after years of helping others.

Young and old volunteers from Nkongolwane village near Vryheid spent their first Saturday of 2025 enjoying meat and traditional songs instead of their usual work – digging graves for grieving families.

KZN legislature member and former Abaqulusi Local Municipality Mayor Mncedisi Maphisa organised the party to thank these unsung heroes.

“I decided to celebrate these young and old brothers of ours who always make sure while we are at work, they attend every mourning family to prepare the graves for free.

“Sometimes other families look down on them and mistreat them. Even during the serving of refreshment after the funeral, they are least prioritised.

“But they dedicate themselves unconditionally to help our communities during funerals,” said Maphisa.

A cow was slaughtered for a braai to celebrate their hard work. The men, many of whom are unemployed or still in school, also received words of motivation.

The younger grave-diggers were urged to study hard to change their lives and help their families and community.

Maphisa praised the men for keeping their village peaceful, saying it has never had tribal fights or serious crime.

He said these volunteers help every family that needs them, whether the men work in cities or it’s a household of only women who can’t dig graves themselves.

Pictured above: The first Saturday of 2025 was full of joy and celebrations for the men of Nkongolwane village who always come to the rescue of mourning families to prepare graves.

Source: Supplied