Civic movement Soil of Africa has helped a Nellmapius family to bury their long-deceased 3-year-old child Kamohelo Nthakong.
Kamohelo Nthakong died as a result of a fire that caught her parents’ shack in October last year.
Inability to bury her back then was caused by the fact that results of the DNA tests to ascertain the identity of her parents was delayed at the national laboratory.
Her mother, who is from Lesotho, had to undergo DNA testing because she didn’t have documents to prove that Kamohelo was her child.
All documents of the mother, including passport and Kamohelo’s birth certificates, were burnt down in the fire that killed Kamohelo.
Another factor which delayed her burial was that her parents didn’t have funds to bury her, thus resulting in her corpse being stored away at the government mortuary since October last year.
After being alerted to the Nthakong family’s plight, civic organisation Soil of Africa took it upon itself to make sure that Kamohelo gets buried as soon as possible with the dignity that she deserves.
First of all Soil of Africa engaged the national laboratory to speed up the release of the DNA tests and thereafter went out into the community to seek resources from Good Samaritans in order to bury little Kamohelo Nthakong.
Rare Funeral Services kindly came on board to provide free burial services, Mamelodi Amalgamated Taxi Association (MATA) provided free transport for the mourners, Big Save store provided groceries and Soil of Africa members cooked food for the funeral feast.
Kamohelo Nthakong was buried at the Heatherly cemetery in the far East of Mamelodi on Friday and a local choir consoled mourners with music.
Local poet Mfanofikile Lukhele recited a poem for the late Kamohelo while musicians Peter Masilela and Sibusiso Masilela rendered soulful songs to soothe the family and the mourners.
Kamohelo Nthakong’s 21-year-old mother Ntswaki Nthakong was at a loss for words and laconically thanked Soil of Africa for its efforts in making sure that Kamohelo gets a decent send-off.
Kamohelo’s uncle Dimpe Nthakong said the following:
“Soil of Africa helped us with everything regarding the burial of Kamohelo, and we as a family will join this organisation and I urge all families who have challenges like us to join Soil of Africa, and may God bless Soil of Africa.”
Portia Ndlovu from Plot 61, who was one of the mourners, thanked Soil of Africa for its efforts and pointed out that little Kamohelo had spent over 6 months at the government mortuary.
Another mourner Lerato Lodi thanked all the people who ensured that Kamohelo gets buried in a decent manner.
Soil of Africa Civic Movement Chairperson Bongani Ramontja said he was relieved that his organisation managed to give little Kamohelo a dignified burial after her corpse was kept at the mortuary for a long time.
“It has been a very difficult journey for the parents of Kamohelo but we are grateful that though the City of Tshwane couldn’t come to their assistance, we as Soil of Africa managed to do everything in our power to make sure that Kamohelo gets a dignified burial,” he said.