The family of former South African ambassador to Indonesia was yesterday shocked to find his tombstone vandalised.
Norman Mashabane died in a car accident in October 2007 and was buried at the Phalaborwa cemetery.
The family received a call from Mashabane's wife, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who is currently in New York, to inform them about the matter.
Mashabane's younger brother Steve told Sowetan yesterday that officials at Baphalaborwa municipality had called his sister-in-law informing her about the vandalism that occurred on the grave.
He said he was in Giyani, where he worked, when he received the call.
"I had to abandon everything I was doing at work in order to attend to the matter and I can tell you I am disappointed about what happened to my brother's tombstone."
Steven said the family had wished for Norman to rest in peace
"We are very angry at whoever was responsible for the destruction of my brother's tombstone.
"We had sent messages to everyone who might had dealt with Norman to plead with them for an apology for anything that he might have done wrong to them.
"We wanted to ensure that he was given a chance to rest peacefully. We did not anticipate this kind of thing to happen to his tombstone," Steven said.
He added that they had resolved to put everything in the hands of the police to investigate with a hope that the truth will come out.
"We are used to death but not the destruction of a tombstone. We just want to allow police to conduct their own investigations."
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said the family had opened a case of malicious damage to property.
Mashabane's tombstone vandalised
The family of former South African ambassador to Indonesia was yesterday shocked to find his tombstone vandalised.
Norman Mashabane died in a car accident in October 2007 and was buried at the Phalaborwa cemetery.
The family received a call from Mashabane's wife, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who is currently in New York, to inform them about the matter.
Mashabane's younger brother Steve told Sowetan yesterday that officials at Baphalaborwa municipality had called his sister-in-law informing her about the vandalism that occurred on the grave.
He said he was in Giyani, where he worked, when he received the call.
"I had to abandon everything I was doing at work in order to attend to the matter and I can tell you I am disappointed about what happened to my brother's tombstone."
Steven said the family had wished for Norman to rest in peace
"We are very angry at whoever was responsible for the destruction of my brother's tombstone.
"We had sent messages to everyone who might had dealt with Norman to plead with them for an apology for anything that he might have done wrong to them.
"We wanted to ensure that he was given a chance to rest peacefully. We did not anticipate this kind of thing to happen to his tombstone," Steven said.
He added that they had resolved to put everything in the hands of the police to investigate with a hope that the truth will come out.
"We are used to death but not the destruction of a tombstone. We just want to allow police to conduct their own investigations."
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said the family had opened a case of malicious damage to property.
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