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Church service at dead girl's home

21/05/2012 00:00:00 SAMKELO NGWENYA

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DVUDVUSINI - The Dlamini family which has kept a dead body for the past 20 days did not bury it over the past weekend as anticipated but instead held a prayer service at her homestead.

The family is said to have hoped to resurrect the 16-year-old former Ngwane Park High School pupil, Celiwe Dlamini, who succumbed to death three weeks ago.

This was confirmed by the Chief of the area Mablom Mabuza who said he had not been informed about the presence of the corpse nor about the burial, as per the procedure.

The father of the dead girl believes prayer will resurrect her.

As quoted by our sister newspaper, The Swazi News, the father believed the girl was in deep sleep; hence she would be resurrected.

Celiwe collapsed in Manzini and was rushed to Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) hospital where she was certified dead and was then taken to Dups funeral undertakers.

Her father took her from Dups with the hope that she would be ‘awakened’ through prayer as they had had a vision that she would breathe again.

This saw funeral proceeding cancelled last week with the hope that she would be resurrected.

Residents of the area said they had not attended a funeral for the deceased yesterday morning which fuelled the belief that the body was still kept in the house.

Initially, there had been suggestions that a funeral would be held on Sunday if the teenager failed to be resuscitated back to life. As quoted by the Swazi News, the father of the deceased denied that the corpse would decompose.

When this reporter paid a visit to the area, it was said Celiwe’s body is believed to be still kept in the house at the Dlamini homestead. The family which has a church in the compound was found locked in a prayer session for the better part of yesterday.

In an emotional church service, the session’s theme was based on demons.

A male voice which led the family in prayer was heard asking for the intervention of God to chase away demons at the homestead.

The deceased’s grandfather, Lloyd Dlamini declined to comment. "This is a family matter. We will disseminate information about the occurrence in death notices when the right time comes," he said.

Thereafter, the old man told journalists from this publication to leave his homestead. He returned to church which was still in progress after 3pm.

Information gathered is to the effect that the family which goes to Life Living Waters Ministry was convinced by 24-year-old pastor Wandile Msibi that he would pray for the teenager to rise from the dead.

Residents of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the whole scenario as peculiar. "We have never seen such in our area," one resident said.

They expressed their worries on the state of the corpse now. They feared that it had decomposed.

Matter in Umphakatsi’s hands - police

MBABANE - Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent, Ste-phen Dlamini, says the matter is in the jurisdiction of the area Royal Kraal (Umphakatsi).

He said police had no mandate in the matter except for the traditional authorities who are overseers of the area. The Police Deputy PRO said police went to advise the family. "Yes we found the corpse. We simply advised the family," he said.

When asked about the state of the corpse, Dlamini said they found it in a good condition. Dlamini declined to reveal where the corpse was kept in the house – whether in a refrigerator or not. He said the matter was for the Royal Kraal of the area to decide on, not the police.

He denied that they raided the Dlamini homestead. We visited them in order to give them a piece of advice and we asked to see the body, he said.

Imihlolo, says chief
DVUDVUSINI - The Chief of the area Mablom Mabuza says the Dlamini issue of keeping a corpse for so long was a mystery (imihlolo).
The Chief described the Dlamini family’s actions as the first of its kind to have happened in the area. "It has never happened in the area before. To me this is a rumour. Nobody has come to inform me about the corpse that has been kept in the house," he said.
The Chief said he was called by the Mankayane Station Commander over the weekend who asked him about the corpse.
The chief said he told the station commander that he did not know anything, save for the rumours which were to that effect. "This is unacceptable. The area belongs to the King. Nobody is supposed to be doing such a strange act," he said in an interview yesterday.

Mabuza said he was still baffled on what step to follow next.
He said he was still engaging the inner council on what could be done on the matter.
"We are equally confused and shocked. We are simply at a loss for words," he said.