Over 1000 mourners came to the combined funeral service of a couple who were found dead in their Extension 9 home last week, after their home had been ravaged by a fire. The service was held at the Umzi waseTopiya (Dinga Mabopha) Church in Extension 7 on Saturday, and devastated family members broke down in tears at the sight of the two coffins.
Over 1000 mourners came to the combined funeral service of a couple who were found dead in their Extension 9 home last week, after their home had been ravaged by a fire. The service was held at the Umzi waseTopiya (Dinga Mabopha) Church in Extension 7 on Saturday, and devastated family members broke down in tears at the sight of the two coffins.
The bodies of Vukile Nyikilana, 36, and his long term girlfriend Pumla Bongwana, 34, were found bound together in the remains of their RDP house in Mkhombe Street, Extension 9, on Saturday 15 October. A previous Grocott's Mail report said that a neighbour believed the fire had been started by robbers.
Friends and neighbours from the community packed into the church to pay their respects, while some stood outside as there was no space for them in the church. The coffins were placed side by side and everyone present was consoled by hymns from the church's choir, which the couple had been members of. Nyikilana was laid to rest at Waainek Cemetery, while Bongwana was buried at the Mayfield Cemetery.
Speaker after a speaker described the couple as the kind of people who were kind, disciplined, and took care of their families.
Both families are still struggling to come to terms with what happened. On Monday Grahamstown police spokesperson Mali Govender told Grocott's Mail that the post-mortem has been conducted, and the police are waiting for the results. "The results will be released at the inquest hearing once they are available," she said.
Community members said the fire will not be forgotten, and many said that the incident has left a deep scar in the community.
