The tragic death of 22-year-old Nala Mchunu has left his family in deep grief, with his mother, Nomsa Nondulwane, expressing her heartbreak over the circumstances of his passing and the way he is being treated after his death. Nala, a young man from Mogoba Section in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, died in a shack fire on 17 December after attending a celebration in Mayfield. His mother shared that the fire, which was caused by a candle, took her son’s life, and she was devastated when she received a letter from the Springs mortuary informing her that Nala’s remains were to be buried as a pauper.
Nomsa, struggling with the loss, said it was unbearable to think that her son would be buried without dignity when his family is alive and able to care for him. The mortuary’s letter stated that his remains were scheduled for a pauper’s burial in seven days unless his family intervened. This has caused tremendous pain for the Mchunu family, as they are determined to give Nala a proper, respectful burial.
The situation became even more distressing when Nomsa and her husband, a police officer, learned of the tragic news in a deeply upsetting way. The father, who had initially responded to a call about a person burned to death in a shack, was shocked to discover that the victim was his own son. It was only after a visit to the police station that they learned of the circumstances, and later, at the Springs mortuary, they identified Nala’s charred body.
Nomsa has voiced her concerns about the lack of support from the investigating officer, adding that they feel abandoned during this difficult time. Captain Nelda Sekgobela, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni district police, confirmed that samples from the scene were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Tshwane, but the pain of losing their son, compounded by the bureaucratic struggles, continues to weigh heavily on the grieving family.
