• Wrangle over actual date of mass funeral saw province withdrawing its infrastructure support to bereaved families. 
• The funeral service was marred by claims of rival parties trying to get political mileage over bereaved families’ tragedy.

The funeral of eight women who died a week ago in Nkandla while travelling to a wedding has been turned into a political battle between the MEC for Transport, Siboniso Duma, and acting Nkandla Mayor Nonhlanhla Nzuza.

MEC Siboniso Duma boycotted the funeral, saying he had been instructed by Nzuza to not set foot at the event.

Women from the Biyela and the Khanyile families died when their Toyota Quantum minibus taxi veered off a gravel road and rolled down a hill on 30 December.

Duma said that he was hurt that he had to withdraw his plans to attend the mass funeral. It was held on Saturday at Mandaba village under the Biyela clan.

But King Cetshwayo district Mayor Dumisani Dlamini, who spoke on behalf of Nzuza at the funeral, told mourners that Duma’s claims were untrue.

He said Duma had wanted to dictate how and when families should bury their loved ones without giving the families the right to decide on arrangements.

“The acting mayor stated that they had a proper meeting with senior officials of the department,” Dlamini said.

“MEC Duma wanted the families to bury their loved ones on Sunday. The acting mayor stated that as government leaders they can’t dictate without consulting the families and their traditional leader Inkosi Bhekizizwe Biyela.”

Inkosi Biyela of the Mahlayizeni Traditional Council told mourners he was informed that arrangements were being made by the Department of Transport.

He said that on Friday his traditional prime minister and the acting mayor came to him with the report that Duma’s officials were no longer answering their phones and that frustration was taking its toll on the families.

“I then told them that the municipality must continue with the arrangements because the funeral cannot be postponed since the families are ready to bury their loved ones. Therefore I’m confused when word of mouth claims that I hate MEC Duma and I blocked him from coming to my village to do his work. How can I hate someone that I only see on television?

“On Saturday the officials came to the area to erect tents while the municipality had already done that. Then after they went back with their materials,” said Inkosi Biyela.

The funeral was sombre and full of tears as the Khanyile and Biyela families were bidding farewell to their beloved womenfolk.

Pictured above: Nkandla acting Mayor Nonhlanhla Nzuza and KZN MEC for Transport Siboniso Duma fought over the funeral of eight women who died in a car accident.

Source: Nkandla/Dept. of Transport and Human Settlements