THE family of the late legendary playwright and musician, Mbongeni Ngema, has clarified that there will be no exhumation of his remains.
This statement comes amid widespread rumours suggesting that Ngema, who was buried in Durban, would be exhumed and reburied in his rural hometown of Enhlwathi in Emfana Village, northern KZN.
Mbongeni Ngema tragically died in December 2023 at the age of 68 following a car accident.
He was laid to rest in the Heroes Acre at Red Hill Cemetery, north of Durban, in January 2024.
This burial decision sparked controversy among some family members who advocated for his burial in Enhlwathi, claiming it was his final wish.
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Sabelo Ngema, Mbongeni’s nephew and a member of the popular duo Afro soul, denied the rumours.
“There have been malicious rumours about plans to exhume his body. These are pure and utter lies aimed at tarnishing our family's image,” he said.
The debate over Ngema's final resting place was fuelled by a song he released in 2010, titled Mhla Ngifayo (When I Die), which expressed a wish to be buried in Emfana, within a cattle kraal.
However, Ngema family spokesman Nhlanhla Ngema said Mbongeni had expressed a desire to his wife, Nompulelelo Gumende Ngema, to be buried in Durban.
During Mbongeni’s funeral, his family from Emfana released a statement expressing disappointment that his wish to be buried in Enhlwathi wasn't honoured, highlighting a lack of communication during the funeral arrangements.
