Funeral
latest news & developmentsMashatile honours Mosiuoa Lekota as a giant who carried the torch of freedom
Known for speaking truth to power, Lekota’s contributions to democracy, education and social development have left an indelible mark on South Africa’s journey toward equality and…
Mourners gather in Bloemfontein to honour struggle veteran Mosiuoa Lekota
Political leaders and mourners gather in Bloemfontein to honour Mosiuoa Lekota, remembered for fierce convictions, humility, and a lifelong commitment to ordinary South Africans
Zambia: Missed opportunities in the feud over Edgar Lungu’s burial
If President Hakainde Hichilema cannot manage a funeral, how can he manage a country?
‘Lilahloane’: Death rites live beyond the grave
A new video installation by Imameleng Masitha at the AVA gallery digs into our rituals to mark mortality and the longing for home soil amid moving and migration
Kenyan ‘end-of-life’ services tech startup is digitising mourning
From memorials to digital death notices, Safiri Salama is changing how we say goodbye, giving the funeral industry a tech upgrade
A grave situation in eThekwini
A shortage of burial plots and viable land for new cemeteries has been worsened by the pandemic’s death toll, forcing people to buy rural land on which to bury their loved ones.
Riots leave the dead unburied and the living at risk
Crematoriums, funeral parlours and cemeteries were forced to close, leaving the families of those who died during the unrest to live with their bodies.
Mpumalanga premier fined for attending Mthembu funeral without a mask
Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane goes into isolation and pledges to buy 1000 masks to show her ‘remorse’
No apology or comfort as another Marikana mother dies without justice
Nomawethu Ma’Bhengu Sompeta, whose funeral will be held this weekend, was unequivocal in calling out the government for its response to the Marikana massacre
Joyce Jokanisi: The life and death of a Marikana Titan
Joyce Jokanisi died without knowing who killed her son in Marikana and while still battling with heartache and depression from the massacre
The unholy cost of a sacred death
Funerals come with a huge price tag here in South Africa, but unless they’re okay with being pariahs, the bereaved must spare no expense
Madagascar’s grave dilemma
The pneumonic plague is forcing the islanders to abandon their traditional burial rites
Better late than dead as NDZ enlivens funeral indaba
‘In KwaZulu-Natal the death industry is big money. Party election war chests need money’
Japanese firm to offer ‘drive-thru’ funeral service
Relatives can pay their respects to loved ones without leaving the comfort of their cars — an initiative supporting an ‘ultra-aged’ country.
Slice of Life: I’ve been digging graves since I was a teen – death has given me a shot at life
A Soweto teenager put himself through school by preparing graves. Now he’s an undertaker, but still gets emotional at the sight of a child’s coffin.