Madisha family – ‘The police were so rude’

The Madisha family have pleaded to be given some space in order to begin the healing process, after they laid the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana defender Motjeka Madisha to rest this past weekend, where proceedings took an unexpected turn in Zebediela.

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Soon after Madisha was laid to rest, members of the South African Police Service tried to arrest Madisha’s parents for contravening the regulations of the lockdown, by supposedly allowing more than 50 people to attend the funeral.

The Madisha family spokesperson Fannie Tsela has confirmed to Phakaaathi that the family had made sure that they only allowed 50 people, as per their attendance register, which was presented to the SAPS, but was ignored as they insisted on arresting Madisha’s parents. However, there were ultimately no arrest made, according to the spokesperson, though a fine of R2500 was paid by the family.

“When we came back from the cemetery, the police had meals like everybody else and soon after, that is when the scuffle began. We were under the impression that everything was in order until that time and they did not want to listen to us when we showed them the attendance register but they insisted that we were more than 100. We wanted to find out from them how they determined that number because they did not do the head count, they just looked at the people including those who were outside,” Tsela told Phakaaathi.

“The police were so rude, I must say. They did not want to listen to what we were saying. We were given an attendance register which we duly utilised and when we go to 50, we stopped people from entering into the yard and that was our proof that we only had 50 people in the yard. The unfortunate part is that there were more than 100 people outside and when there is a funeral you don’t invite people, so we don’t understand why the family should be held accountable on such kinds of things,” he added.

After waiting for almost two months for DNA test results, after the horrific accident that claimed Madisha’s life, Tsela said the family are looking to begin the healing process, following the burial of the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana defender, this past weekend.

“This topic is actually hurting the family more than one can think,” he said.

“The family gave me a clear instruction that if we continue talking about this, it will continue to prolong the pain that the family is going through. This thing started in December last year and it has been in the news. The matter has finally been resolved and the family paid the fine on Sunday afternoon, no one was arrested and said we should close that chapter and let the healing process start,” Tsela added.

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