Undertaker funeral horror!

NO HEARSE, no grave after the undertaker allegedly killed himself.

The undertaker left two families stranded and desperate to bury their loved ones on Saturday, 22 June.

Two families from Sebokeng in the Vaal were forced to use their private cars to put coffins to go and bury their family members. But when they arrived at the Vanderbijlpark graveyard, there were no graves.

Mojalefa Motaung (30) from Boitumelo near Sebokeng told the Daily Sun that on Saturday, as they prepared to bury his father James Motaung (62), the undertaker was nowhere to be found as his phones went on voicemails.

"At about 10am, three family cars arrived, but there was no hearse. We kept calling the undertaker, but his phones were off," he said.

Mojalefa said they decided to use their cars to put his father's coffin as it was getting late. But to their shock, as they arrived at the graveyard, they didn't know at which grave they'd bury his dad. They called the undertaker, and he told them to go to a red tent.

"As we looked around, there was no red tent. And another family with the same problem was struggling with the grave as the same undertaker didn't arrange the grave for them as well," he said.

"We tried calling him back, but again, his phone was on voicemail. I'm deeply heartbroken that we paid the undertaker his money in cash to give my father a dignified funeral, but that didn't happen as the undertaker disappeared without any explanation. He could have told us the previous day that he wouldn't be able to bury my father rather than leave us desperate at the last minute."

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"We thank a member of the undertaker's forum who arrived and assisted in arranging a tractor to dig graves for us. The other family couldn't talk to the Daily Sun as they asked to be given space because the undertaker has hurt them very badly," said the family.

The two families have since learnt that the undertaker concerned took his life after failing to provide services to affected families.

On the other hand, the Vaal Undertakers Forum public relations officer, Thabo Mathamaha, told Daily Sun that he interviewed both families on Monday, 24 June, took their statements, and apologised on behalf of the forum.

Thabo said he promised the families that the forum would deal with their matter the following week as Hlokomelong Funeral Parlour is one of their members, and both families will be refunded.

He said the owner of Hlokomelong committed suicide on the same Saturday afternoon after he could not provide services to his clients, leaving both families stranded to bury their loved ones at Vanderbijlpark cemetery.

Gauteng police spokeswoman Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said cops in Orange Farm have opened an inquest docket.