“UBUNTU should be part of every one of us as human beings.”
ANC councillor in Winterveld, outside Mabopane in Tshwane, Sophy Sithole said this during the funeral of Samukelo Tshabalala on Friday.
The one-year-old boy was found dead on 17 June after his mum left him to attend Youth Day celebrations.
The mother, Lerato Tshabalala (26), is said to have left her son in the care of her younger sister when she went to the local pub, but never returned that night.
According to witnesses, Lerato left the party with her boyfriend, dressed in a school uniform.
The baby’s aunt, Tinana Tshabalala (16), found him dead after putting him to bed the previous night.
The family said they had no money to bury the little boy.
The boy’s death angered community members who suspected that hunger and negligence led to his death. Community leader Richard Dube prevented the residents from attacking Lerato.
“What happened was sad but people must refrain from taking the law into their own hands. We don’t have to make things worse than they are,” he said.
Although she did not attend the funeral, councillor Sithole made sure that Samukelo was given a decent funeral.
“Helping each other in times of need is important. It reminds us that we are human beings created by God. We also thank Daily Sun for being our mirror in which we reflect ourselves as society by bringing such issues forward,” said Sithole.
Conducting the service was Pastor Joseph Ubisse of The New General Apostolic Church in Zion.
Ubisse also took the platform to remind the youth about repenting from their sins.
