Kwazakele: A young boy aged 11 was killed on Saturday, 19 January 2019 while a funeral “after tears” gathering final farewell event was taking place.

The funeral was for Siyamthanda Ndema (28). His ngintsa name was ‘Ncuncu’ and he was murdered on 7 January 2019 at 01:15 at Gqalane’s tavern in Kwazakele.

His funeral started at 07:00 at his home in Makhubalo Street in Kwazakele and ended just before 13:30 at the cemetery in Motherwell. Many of the funeral goers returned to Makhubalo Street where people gathered in the street. The spinning of vehicles also took place in the tightly packed street.

At about 14:50 several gun shots were fired by unknown gunmen in the street, and one of the stray bullets are suspected to have hit the 11-year-old boy who was a bystander at the time of the incident. He died on the scene.

The Motherwell Cluster Commander, Major General Dawie Rabie confirmed that the SAPS policed the funeral and procession until the cemetery, various vehicles and persons were searched. Except for a few minor traffic violations no serious incidents took place.

“A crowd was gathering afterwards at Makhubalo Street, where general lawless behaviour took place, which included spinning of vehicles and firing of firearms within that close ranges of the crowd” he added. “These persons did not even run away while the shots were being fired. Unfortunately an 11-year-old boy, Mbaza Dlamini, died in the process. Major General Rabie expressed his disappointment in certain community members who attends so-called after tears parties for amaGintsa gangsters, after funerals where illegal spinning of motor vehicles and firing of guns, took place. It appears that certain community members’ hero worship these Mginza gangsters and attend the after tears party as a final farewell he added.

The Cluster Commander, Major General Rabie has instructed a full probe to be conducted into this Mginza funeral practice as well as a proper investigation into the murder of the 11-year-old boy.

Source: South African Police Service