WHEN THUGS robbed the funeral parlour, they locked Lindiwe in a coffin.
Facing possibility of suffocating, she kicked the lid open and freed herself. CUSTOMERS NEARLY DIED OF SHOCK WHEN LINDIWE LEAPT OUT FROM THE COFFIN!
Lindiwe Ngwenyama (49), a receptionist at Ubunye Funeral Parlour in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, said after the two thugs locked her up inside the suffocating and dark coffin, they ransacked the office and stole R2 800 in cash, a computer and her handbag.
Traumatised Lindiwe couldn’t stop crying as she told her story to Daily Sun.
She said the thugs wore masks when they entered the funeral parlour pretending to be customers.
“I sanitised them and asked them to sit down, but one of them drew a gun and demanded money,” she said.
“I told them there was no money but they became angry. One of them removed my shoe laces and tied my hands and feet.”
They realised the laces wouldn’t work and did the unthinkable.
“They told me to take them to the coffins and ordered me to get into one at gunpoint,” she said, crying.
“I was trembling and thought they were going to shoot me while inside the coffin.”
They left her there even though she was struggling to breath.
“I didn’t want to kick the box open while they were there,” said Lindiwe.
“I was afraid they’d come back to finish me off.
“I heard them leaving and tried to free myself. But the coffin had been locked from the outside.
“I thought I was going to die. I’ve never prayed so hard in my life!”
When she heard customers arriving she banged on the coffin but they couldn’t hear her.
Finally, she pushed the lid hard enough for a lock to break open.
After explaining to customers what had happened, they accompanied her to Rabasotho cop shop ekasi on Thursday.
Lindiwe said the minutes she spent locked up inside the coffin were hell.
Her ID, two cellphones and bank cards were inside her handbag.
Her relieved younger sister Sibongile Maseko said Lindiwe was struggling to cope.
“She doesn’t sleep well and wakes up in the middle of the night to watch TV.
“I don’t think she’ll go back to work. She’s scared of a coffin.”
The owner of the funeral parlour, Jabu Mabona, said he rushed to the mortuary as soon as he received information that there’d been a robbery.
“I was relieved they didn’t kill Lindiwe,” he said.
“The computer contained valuable information. We want the thugs to be arrested.”
Captain Manyadza Ralidzivha said a case of business robbery was opened and cops were looking for the suspects.
Anyone who has information has been asked to call the toll-free number 08600 10111.
