Additional Coverage:
Masoyi, Mpumalanga Province—A man’s grief took a bizarre turn when he exhumed the skeletons of his father and grandfather from a local cemetery and brought them home to sleep with him.
The 29-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released, was discovered by police after a woman witnessed him digging up graves in the Masoyi cemetery near White River. She observed him remove the bodies and carry them to his home, prompting her to alert authorities.
Police arrived at the cemetery to find two empty, six-foot-deep graves. Informed of the suspect’s relationship to the deceased, officers proceeded to his residence in nearby Swalala.
There, they discovered the man asleep in bed with the skeletons positioned on either side of him. A neighbor recounted the unsettling scene of an officer visibly shaken by the discovery.
“I heard screams and rushed outside,” the neighbor told local media. “A police officer was standing outside the front door, crossing themselves. I asked if it was a murder, but the officer, clearly in shock, said they found a man in bed with the skeletons of his relatives.”
The skeletons were taken by police as evidence, leaving the community concerned about the spiritual implications. “We are a superstitious people,” the neighbor explained. “We believe their spirits are now no longer at rest and need to be returned to their final resting place as soon as possible.”
The father and grandfather were buried side-by-side in 2010. The suspect, just 14 years old at the time, was reportedly deeply affected by their deaths.
Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, a police spokesman, confirmed the man was charged with violation of graves and appeared before a magistrate on the day of his arrest. The penalties he faces remain unclear.
A local Sangoma, known as “Mother Earth,” offered a possible explanation on social media. She suggested the man may have believed his ancestors were unhappy and brought them home in an attempt to appease them. Sangomas, traditional healers in African culture, believe they can communicate with the deceased.
“He lost his two role models at a young age and may have sensed they were not at rest,” Mother Earth wrote. “He brought them home to give them comfort.” She expressed hope that the spirits are now at peace and can be returned to their graves, advising those grieving to consult a Sangoma for guidance rather than resorting to exhumation.