Toddler finally laid to rest after 8 months in government mortuary

Two-year-old Kamohelo Nthakong from Plot 61 Smith informal settlement, next to Nellmapius N4 Gateway was finally laid to rest after spending close to eight months at a government mortuary.

The little girl was buried at Heatherly Cemetery in Nellmapius last Friday.

This comes after the child lost her life in a shack fire last year, in October. Her body had been at the government mortuary awaiting a DNA test.

Her mother, Ntswaki Nthakong (21), said: “It’s been a long journey of sleepless nights knowing that my child is lying in the government mortuary waiting for a proper funeral.”

Nthakong said she was told that she must conduct a DNA test first to determine whether the child is hers, since she is a foreigner from Lesotho and had no documents.

All documents of the mother, including her passport and Kamohelo’s birth certificates, were burned down in the fire that killed her daughter.

She said her daughter stayed at the government mortuary because of the delays from the police, who were supposed to do the DNA test.

She had been in and out of the police station, running from pillar to post just to do a DNA test.

Nthakong said it is all thanks to Soil of Africa, a civic movement, for their efforts in making sure that Kamohelo gets a decent send-off.

The movement made numerous calls and questioned the delay in taking DNA tests.

“Soil of Africa helped us with everything regarding the burial of Kamohelo, and we as a family will join this organisation,” said Nthakong.

Kamohelo’s uncle Dimpe urged all families who experience the same challenges to join Soil of Africa. “May God bless Soil of Africa,” he added.

Portia Ndlovu, a resident at Plot 61, thanked Soil of Africa for its efforts and for making sure the child is finally buried.

She said the mother had been through a lot: watching her daughter burn in a shack and waiting over six months for her daughter’s body.

Ndlovu thanked all the people who ensured that Kamohelo was buried decently.

Soil of Africa chairperson Bongani Ramoncha said the family could not bury their daughter because the results of the DNA tests to ascertain the identity of her parents were delayed at the national laboratory.

Ramoncha said the organisation made sure that the mother underwent DNA testing because she didn’t have documents to prove that Kamohelo was her child.

“The family are unemployed, therefore, funds to bury their daughter were also a challenge,” said Ramoncha.

He said the movement heard about the family’s plight, and the civic organisation took it upon itself to make sure that Kamohelo was buried as soon as possible.

The civic movement engaged with the national laboratory to speed up the release of the DNA tests and pleaded with the community to help with resources to bury the little girl.

“It has been a very difficult journey for the parents of Kamohelo, but we are grateful that though the City of Tshwane couldn’t come to their assistance, we as Soil of Africa managed to do everything in our power to make sure that Kamohelo got a dignified burial,” he said.

Ramoncha said a good Samaritan offered to bury the child for free, and Mamelodi Amalgamated Taxi Association (MATA) provided free transport for the mourners, Big Save store provided groceries and Soil of Africa members cooked for the funeral feast.

The burial service started at Nellmapius community hall before going to Heatherly cemetery.

ALSO READ: Family can finally bury girl after long wait for DNA results

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