Unemployed siblings ask for help to bury their brother
The family is struggling to bury him due to finances.
A 21-year-old women and her 13-year-old brother are desperately appealing to the public for help to bury their 34-year-old deceased brother.
The two siblings from Ramaphosa informal settlement have been staying with their unemployed brother, Bokang Mapheelle, since the death of their mother in 2013.
Karabelo Mapheelle (21) said her brother was admitted to Tambo Memorial Hospital on April 10 after he became sick with flu, and was constantly vomiting.
“The following day (April 11) he was then discharged as felt much better. On April 26, he fell sick again and we phoned the ambulance and he was taken to Tambo Memorial Hospital.
“We got a call from the hospital on May 12 after 10pm letting us know that our brother had passed away,” Mapheelle said.
Emotional Ntswaki Nthuntso, the deceased’s girlfriend who is about five months pregnant, said: “On the day he died, I visited him in hospital and he said he felt much better and looked well.
“I was surprised when the hospital called to say that he had passed away,” Mapheelle said.
Mapheelle said because she and her brother are the only family members who live in Gauteng, as most of their relatives are in Lesotho, they don’t have money to bury Bokang.
The 21-year-old said she phoned her family in Lesotho, but they too said they did not have money to bury her brother.
Mapheelle said the local mortuary is charging them R14 000 plus the penalty fee of R1 000 because her brother’s body had been kept there for a longer period.
“We don’t know what to do because I’m unemployed, and my younger brother is still at primary school. We only survive on the tenant’s money which is about R3 000.
“We appeal for help from to anyone who would like to assist us to to bury our brother and we would welcome any help from any funeral parlour willing to help us,” Mapheelle said.
Anyone who can assist may contact Mapheelle on 0813526996 or Nthuntso on 079 230 1453.
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