AFTER spending a month in fear of coffins abandoned in a shack, a community took action.
On Friday 18 November, residents of Mmakaunyane, North West, set alight the 10 child and adult-sized coffins.
Daily Sun published a story about the scary discovery on 23 October.
Gogo Sarah Malaisha (78) said the coffins belonged in graves and not piled up near their homes, traumatising residents.
“Now that the coffins have been burnt, our lives have returned to normal. We are no longer scared,” she said.
Simphiwe Mashabi (23) said he knew the man who had lived in the shack and he couldn’t understand why he left behind the coffins.
“But now that they are gone, we are at peace,” he said.
Simphiwe said coffins were meant for burials and were not supposed to be exposed to everyone.
Shangy Mbekwa, leader of Agenda to Citizenry Governors, said he was not angry with the community for burning the coffins but disappointed with the police.
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Mbekwa, a PR councillor for Moretele Local Municipality, said he had expected the police to open a docket and refer it to forensic investigators to determine whether or not the coffins were used.
“We were expecting a proper investigation so that the perpetrators could be arrested,” he said.
Mbekwa said he understood the coffins traumatised the community.
