�We only wantedto bury our mother�

In the cold: One of the graves within the disputed plot. PIC: KAGISO ONKATSWITSE
In the cold: One of the graves within the disputed plot. PIC: KAGISO ONKATSWITSE

The Mokopotsa family recently lost its matriarch, 67-year-old Mmanabi Penana Rachel, who died in the middle of a four-year old bitter land dispute pitting the Ratlhomelang community against a businessman. Mmanabi was buried after nine long days as her family and the community unsuccessfully negotiated to have her laid to rest on the piece of land at the heart of the dispute. Her family wanted her buried next to her husband, the former headman, who now lies alone in the plot, fenced up and separate, Mmegi Correspondent, NNASARETHA KGAMANYANE finds out

Mmanabi’s daughter is not a medical doctor, but she has her convictions. “I know that my mother died of heart break,” she says, asking that the Mmegi newscrew keep her identity private.

“I believe that if it was not for this dispute my mother would be alive. Since the land dispute began, she barely slept as she was concerned that our father was one of the two people buried in the graveyard on that plot. She told us that she was very worried about that issue.”

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up