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Shock as family told dead hubby is 'alive'

Tilo Setlhare

Tilo Setlhare

A Mohlakeng family got a shock of their lives when Home Affairs offices in Randfontein informed them their deceased father, Mandla Zwane was, according to their records, "very much alive".

Mandla Zwane died on August 28 1988 in a car accident in Standerton. He was buried in Mohlakeng, Randfontein, where he lived with his family.

Widow Elsie Zwane said: "The death certificate issued by a medical doctor after my husband's death was hand-written and the family wanted a computer generated certificate.

"I then went to the Home Affairs office to request a computerised certificate and that's when I received the shocking news.

"When I approached Buti Thinta, a senior Home Affairs official, he told me I had to write a letter accompanied by a sworn affidavit and attach the death certificate, which his office would forward to Pretoria."

Thinta said: "We regret the inconvenience caused to the Zwane family and our office will speedily forward the said documents so the family can be furnished with the original death certificate."

An unhappy Zwane blasted Home Affairs. "This shows that my husband's death was never registered in the first place.

"Nothing short of being issued with the original, computerised certificate will put us all at ease. I hope they speed up the process."

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