A 7-year-old boy has died after a tombstone fell on him when Mashigo family went to the graveyard to perform rituals to appease their ancestors.
The family from Etwatwa called the cops, who found the body of Thokozani Mashigo still trapped under the heavy tombstone at Pinky Cemetery in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni.
Residents who live near the cemetery suspect the family performed their rituals at the wrong grave.
Moloko Tladi, who was at the cemetery to clean her grandfather's grave, said the ancestors can be jealous.
"If you take them food and you give it to the wrong ancestors, they punish you," said Moloko.
"We saw the police van in the cemetery, but we didn't go close."
A municipal worker at a different cemetery in Etwatwa agreed with Moloko.
"Strange things happen when people perform rituals at the wrong graves.
"Some hear strange sounds and others feel the earth shaking under their feet and sometimes the wind blows," said the worker.
The Mashigo family told Daily Sun that they are hurt about the boy's death.
"We are scared because we don't know what the other family will do when they see blood on their grave," said the boy's mother, who didn't want to be named.
"They may take the blood to the sangoma."
Asked if they tried to find the owners of the grave, they said they won't bother the ancestors any further.
Sergeant Connie Moalusi confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened at Daveyton cop shop.
Source - Dailysun
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