An investigation has been launched into the dealings of an East London funeral parlour

Royce & Rhodes Funeral Home is in the news following complaints from a family in Mdantsane and one in Reeston.

A Cape Town-based company, which underwrites insurance for Royce & Rhodes, is investigating allegations levelled against the funeral home.

The probe comes after our sister newspaper, the Dispatch, reported how a Mdantsane family was not given a proper burial for their loved one despite paying the funeral scheme for almost six years.

The Mekula family said first the body of their mother arrived in the wrong casket and then the funeral parlour allegedly failed to provide a limousine as agreed.

The family said they had paid an additional R2000 for the limousine but instead an old hearse, which broke down at the grave site, was sent.

To make matters worse, there was no headstone for the grave.

And last week, the Plaatjie family from Reeston claimed the funeral home had refused to bury their grandfather amid claims that they had missed a payment last year.

The family provided receipts to show that they had made a double payment last year after missing one payment.

Numerous attempts to obtain comment from the owner of the funeral parlour, Johannes Marais, were unsuccessful.

The Dispatch then contacted the Cape Town-based KGA Life , which underwrites Royce & Rhodes.

KGA legal adviser Johan Ferreira confirmed that KGA was currently underwriting Royce & Rhodes Funeral Home. Ferreira said the company would investigate the queries with regards to Royce & Rhodes.

Amathole District Economic Development Consumer Protections Unit senior official Siphiwo Kenqu also said the unit would attempt to establish what happened with both families.