Police halted the funeral of church president TE Nkonyane on Saturday (June 6) after a High Court interdict was granted at the request of his wife.

However, the controversy deepened when the coffin was allegedly found to contain bricks rather than the deceased’s body.

The incident has resulted in a criminal case being opened and has sparked outrage among members of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Holy Spirit Church in Zion, Inyoni Emhlophe, and the Nkonyane family.

According to a statement issued by the church, members were concluding the funeral programme when the police arrived with an order from the Pietermaritzburg High Court, halting the burial.

The application had been brought earlier that morning by Dolly Nkonyane, the wife of the late church president.

The church stated that she had been married to him in community of property since 1988 and they had never divorced.

The court ruled in her favour, and the order was executed by police in conjunction with the Nkonyane family.

“Ms. Mazibuko, who had been living with the late president in Durban, where he died, had proceeded with funeral arrangements without involving the Nkonyane family or Mrs Nkonyane,” the church said in a statement.

Coffin allegedly contained bricks

The court directed that the cortege return to the mortuary with the family.

The church said that, once back at the mortuary, the Nkonyane family asked the funeral service provider to open the coffin.

“It was then discovered, in the presence of the police who were escorting the coffin, that the coffin did not contain the body of the late president but only building bricks,” the statement read.

The Nkonyane family has since opened a criminal case at Osizweni police station against Ms. Mazibuko and the funeral service provider.

The church described the incident as ‘unfortunate and inhumane’ and said it stands with the Nkonyane family in seeking justice.

“The Christian Catholic Apostolic Holy Spirit Church in Zion, Inyoni Emhlophe is saddened by this unfortunate and inhumane turn of events. The church stands with the Nkonyane family and supports their pursuit of justice in this matter,” the statement said.

No response had been received from the funeral service provider or Ms. Mazibuko at the time of publication.

Family seeks exhumation order

Meanwhile, the family of the late Nkonyane, has allegedly filed an urgent court application to exhume human remains from a shallow grave discovered at the pastors’ quarters.

The family believes the remains could be those of Nkonyane.

The discovery was made on Monday afternoon after family, friends and congregants launched an extensive search of Nkonyane’s body.

The circumstances surrounding the whereabouts of Nkonyane’s body remain under police investigation.

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