A BITTER war has erupted among relatives of the Limpopo woman who died in an accident while being transported to hospital two weeks ago.

Christina Makhuvele of Lulekani township in Phalaborwa died on October 1 en route to an eye clinic at Dr CN Phatudi Hospital near Lenyenye, outside Tzaneen.

Makhuvele, 67, was to have been buried on Saturday last week at the Lulekani cemetery.

Sowetan learnt that while the family was finalising preparations for the the funeral, the deceased's elder brother, Elmon, showed up a day before the burial accompanied by police and his lawyer to deliver a court interdict to stop the woman's children from burying their mother.

The deceased's husband died a few years ago. They were married under customary law.

The brother allegedly claimed he held the right to bury his sister at the Makhuvele clan's cemetery in Cottondale village near Acornhoek, about 150km from Lulekani.

Represented by his lawyer Topsy Thete in the Phalaborwa magistrate's court yesterday, Makhuvele said he wanted to be in charge of the burial.

The deceased's family spokesperson, Jane Mokoena, told Sowetan yesterday the issue was more painful than the funeral itself.

She said they were hopeful that the court would adhere to their request for the deceased to be buried in Lulekani.

"We find no reason for her to be buried at her place of birth," said Mokoena, the deceased's granddaughter.