SHE is known as the woman who always has a blanket wrapped around her shoulders - whether it's hot or cold.
The heavy blanket is a sign of a new widow waiting for her husband's funeral before her in-laws give her proper mourning clothes.
But Winnie MaGumede Ngema is embroiled in a battle to have her late husband Ntufana Tholumuzi Ngema's body exhumed.
She has vowed never to take off the blanket until his body is exhumed.
Ngema died on October 9 last year, and was buried by his relatives a week before MaGumede had planned to have the funeral.
She said the trouble started on October 11 when she was told her husband's body had been fetched by his relatives from Ekombe Hospital in Nkandla.
The documents shown to her indicated that Ngema's brother, his son from a previous marriage Zamokuhle Ngema, and his brother's children signed for the body.
The widow, who lives in a one-roomed house in the area of Mabhuqwini in Nkandlaraising six children, said she has spent R23000 in legal fees to fight for the exhumation of her husband's body.
"This is unheard of, that a man should be buried without his wife being aware [of it]," MaGumede said.
Ngema was married previously and had another six children from that marriage.
"The [relatives] say a man cannot be laid to rest in a small house when he has a big house," MaGumede said.
But she was adamant she had the right to bury her husband in eMabhuqwini.
MaGumede laid a complaint of intimidation with police after an alleged threat by Zamokuhle that he would kill her if the body was exhumed.
But Zamokuhle denied this. "That woman is crazy. Did she tell you my father had a house already?"
Shortly after her husband's burial, MaGumede appointed a lawyer to help her exhume Ngema's body.
She said police turned her away when she tried to report a case of theft of her husband's body.
As part of the legal process for an exhumation, her chief was required to write a letter indicating that the dispute had been resolved.
This is what is slowing down the process, according to MaGumede, who accused her chief of being uncooperative.
But Chief Phokwakhe Ntuli said he could not make a decision as this was a family matter.
"She needs to accept what has happened. The man has another home.
"I'm trying to get the Ngema family to meet with me. But I can't force them. She [MaGumede] is a wife and must abide by the rules of the in-laws."
But MaGumedesaid she would continue to fight.
ndabezithat@timesmedia.co.za
Widow fights for right to bury her husband - relatives arranged funeral without her
SHE is known as the woman who always has a blanket wrapped around her shoulders - whether it's hot or cold.
The heavy blanket is a sign of a new widow waiting for her husband's funeral before her in-laws give her proper mourning clothes.
But Winnie MaGumede Ngema is embroiled in a battle to have her late husband Ntufana Tholumuzi Ngema's body exhumed.
She has vowed never to take off the blanket until his body is exhumed.
Ngema died on October 9 last year, and was buried by his relatives a week before MaGumede had planned to have the funeral.
She said the trouble started on October 11 when she was told her husband's body had been fetched by his relatives from Ekombe Hospital in Nkandla.
The documents shown to her indicated that Ngema's brother, his son from a previous marriage Zamokuhle Ngema, and his brother's children signed for the body.
The widow, who lives in a one-roomed house in the area of Mabhuqwini in Nkandlaraising six children, said she has spent R23000 in legal fees to fight for the exhumation of her husband's body.
"This is unheard of, that a man should be buried without his wife being aware [of it]," MaGumede said.
Ngema was married previously and had another six children from that marriage.
"The [relatives] say a man cannot be laid to rest in a small house when he has a big house," MaGumede said.
But she was adamant she had the right to bury her husband in eMabhuqwini.
MaGumede laid a complaint of intimidation with police after an alleged threat by Zamokuhle that he would kill her if the body was exhumed.
But Zamokuhle denied this. "That woman is crazy. Did she tell you my father had a house already?"
Shortly after her husband's burial, MaGumede appointed a lawyer to help her exhume Ngema's body.
She said police turned her away when she tried to report a case of theft of her husband's body.
As part of the legal process for an exhumation, her chief was required to write a letter indicating that the dispute had been resolved.
This is what is slowing down the process, according to MaGumede, who accused her chief of being uncooperative.
But Chief Phokwakhe Ntuli said he could not make a decision as this was a family matter.
"She needs to accept what has happened. The man has another home.
"I'm trying to get the Ngema family to meet with me. But I can't force them. She [MaGumede] is a wife and must abide by the rules of the in-laws."
But MaGumedesaid she would continue to fight.
ndabezithat@timesmedia.co.za
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