THE NEW NORM – FOR NOW

During lockdown, certain burial practices and traditional rituals are prohibited – a reality the bereaved are struggling to accept

- SIYA TSEWU

A FAMILY member dies, neighbours start coming in to express their shock and offer support (ukhuza umphanga) and the grieving process officially starts.

Prayer sessions are held every night to comfort the family and, in some cases, a night vigil is held the night before the funeral.

This is how we know funerals, a treasured set of rituals and experiences that have been done for as long as we can remember and has so much meaning.

Then Covid-19 hit South Africa. The country went into lockdown, gatherings are prohibited and funerals are only allowed if everything is kept to a bare minimum.

That means no nightly prayers or vigils, only 50 people can attend, including the priest and the funeral parlour staff, and there’s no catering in sight.

And even worse: if a person dies of the coronavirus, they need to be buried within three days, irrespective of whether the family have time to travel for the funeral.

This new reality has been crushing for many families who have lost loved ones during lockdown.

It’s not easy, Mahlohonolo Magadla says. She recently had to go from Gauteng to her aunt’s funeral in KwaZuluNatal, the first weekend after lockdown was announced. They had to make sure they got a copy of the death certificate so they could travel from one province to another.

“We couldn’t have a full church service as the priest was only allowed to speak to the family and bless the coffin within 15 minutes,” she says. “We also did not have a night vigil prior to the funeral.