A devastating burial mix-up has left the Ndebele family from Matanka Two Village in Mangwe District, Zimbabwe, reeling in shock and grief. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, they discovered that they had mistakenly buried a Lesotho national instead of their son, Bambanani Ndebele. The 28-year-old had tragically lost his life in South Africa after being struck with a knobkerrie at a party he hosted.

The error occurred due to a tag swap at a South African mortuary, leading to the Ndebele family interring the wrong body last month in Matabeleland South. The mistake was only uncovered when the Lesotho family, preparing for their relative’s burial, realized the body did not belong to them. Edison Ndebele, Bambanani’s uncle, expressed his distress, “I have never seen anything like this in my life. We are in fear because we buried a stranger thinking he was our family member.”

Some family members had raised concerns about the body’s identity, but their doubts were dismissed by elders. Antony Ndebele, another uncle, was unable to view the body due to recent eye surgery and repeatedly questioned its authenticity. “I asked my sister three times if she was sure the body was Bambanani’s, and each time she affirmed,” he said. The family’s anguish is compounded by fears of potential cultural and spiritual repercussions.

Urban Services Funeral Parlour in South Africa has taken responsibility for the tag mix-up and pledged to cover the costs of rectifying the error. The Lesotho family’s relative is expected to be exhumed and repatriated, while Bambanani’s body will finally be returned home. The Ndebele family now faces the daunting task of laying their son to rest, seeking closure, and healing from this traumatic experience.