THE Mapuzas are still in shock following the deaths of three family members.
Sandile Mapuza (62), his wife Nomonde (52) and brother Nkosayithethi (57) died at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, last week.
They’d drunk homemade alcohol called intyontyi.
Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said 16 people died at Litha in King William’s Town after drinking the concoction, a mixture of ginger, spirits, yeast, water and other horrible substances.
A neighbour said the victims drank a lot of the alcohol on the weekend before they died. The booze was still being sold.
Family spokeswoman Ntomboxolo Franse said Nomonde went to the hospital after losing eyesight.
She died last Monday while the other two died on Tuesday. Ntomboxolo said Sandile had complained of stomach cramps.
“I thought he was hungry and gave him porridge,” she said.
She said a few minutes later Sandile complained his legs were cold.
He later started vomiting a brown liquid. She rushed him to hospital. When she got back home Nkosayithethi had started having cramps.
Ntomboxolo said the family didn’t know where the money to bury them would come from.
She appealed to Good Samaritans to help them with groceries and money for the burial.
