A LIMPOPO pensioner is disillusioned after a undertaker allegedly mishandled the case of her dead son.
Asnath Thamaga, 64, of Blood River village outside Seshego, has been paying premiums to the South African Funeral Directors towards her and her children's burial.
Thamaga said she started paying the subscriptions last year and little did she know the deal would fall through and cause her many problems.
She said that when she took out the policy she was promised it would cover burial and catering costs.
Her son Edward died on May 26 and was to be buried on June 6.
The family alleges that the undertaker refused them permission to see the body on June 4 before it was delivered to their home.
Officials at the undertaker allegedly told them employees were on strike.
The undertaker also allegedly brought the deceased's body late on Friday the day before the funeral.
Strangely, according to the family, the coffin was brought in a private car they did not recognise.
When they inspected the body they discovered that the deceased was not property placed in the coffin.
The driver of the car allegedly gave the family R300 and told them the undertaker had asked him to deliver the body.
"As if that was not enough, another private care arrived on the day of the funeral and its driver claimed he had been asked by the undertaker to accompany us to the cemetery," the grieving Thamaga said.
She said she had to go around pleading with businesspeople in the village for assistance to cater for the mourners.
When she later enquired about how much she was entitled to for funeral costs, Thamaga said she was told it was only R500 though I only received R300".
"I'm still angry with these people because they took me for a ride," she fumed.
"They are not running an honest business."
According to Thamaga several requests for a meeting with the management of SA Funeral Undertakers drew a blank.
The family said they had learnt that other families had similar complaints against the undertaker.
Freddy Mongwe, director of SA Funeral Directors in Polokwane, said yesterday he had "sacrificed a lot towards the burial of Thamaga's son".
'CROOKED UNDERTAKER SHORT-CHANGED ME'
A LIMPOPO pensioner is disillusioned after a undertaker allegedly mishandled the case of her dead son.
Asnath Thamaga, 64, of Blood River village outside Seshego, has been paying premiums to the South African Funeral Directors towards her and her children's burial.
Thamaga said she started paying the subscriptions last year and little did she know the deal would fall through and cause her many problems.
She said that when she took out the policy she was promised it would cover burial and catering costs.
Her son Edward died on May 26 and was to be buried on June 6.
The family alleges that the undertaker refused them permission to see the body on June 4 before it was delivered to their home.
Officials at the undertaker allegedly told them employees were on strike.
The undertaker also allegedly brought the deceased's body late on Friday the day before the funeral.
Strangely, according to the family, the coffin was brought in a private car they did not recognise.
When they inspected the body they discovered that the deceased was not property placed in the coffin.
The driver of the car allegedly gave the family R300 and told them the undertaker had asked him to deliver the body.
"As if that was not enough, another private care arrived on the day of the funeral and its driver claimed he had been asked by the undertaker to accompany us to the cemetery," the grieving Thamaga said.
She said she had to go around pleading with businesspeople in the village for assistance to cater for the mourners.
When she later enquired about how much she was entitled to for funeral costs, Thamaga said she was told it was only R500 though I only received R300".
"I'm still angry with these people because they took me for a ride," she fumed.
"They are not running an honest business."
According to Thamaga several requests for a meeting with the management of SA Funeral Undertakers drew a blank.
The family said they had learnt that other families had similar complaints against the undertaker.
Freddy Mongwe, director of SA Funeral Directors in Polokwane, said yesterday he had "sacrificed a lot towards the burial of Thamaga's son".
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