Zimbabwean family alleges funeral company rip-off

Hativagone said that his brother died in August after being hit by a car on his way to work. He contacted Sonandi Family Funerals Company who charged him R9,200. They suggested that he initially pay R1,800 for fuel costs and other errands and that he pay the rest after processing the paper work. “After I paid the balance [Mr Ellias Sonandi] told me that the air ticket for me and the corpse had increased. I decided to go to Zimbabwe by bus two days earlier than the day he was going to send the corpse so that I could cut costs. Mr Sonandi promised to send the corpse to Zimbabwe using South African Airways on Tuesday 21 August by 12pm. Before I left for Zimbabwe I confirmed with him. He gave me the flight number and assured me that everything was alright.”

Hativagone continued, “I made it to Zimbabwe in time for the burial and joined all other relatives who had come from different far places to show their last respect at the Harare International Airport. We even hired another funeral parlour called Nyaradzo which provided a car to the airport to ferry the body home. We waited for a long time and checked with Harare International Airport officials who confirmed that there was no corpse sent in our name because the funeral services did not pay the corpse’s air ticket. We phoned him and he told me to deposit the R3,000 balance in the account number he provided. We abided but still he did not send the corpse.”

Hativagone returned to South Africa with his wife to find out what was happening. On their way back to Cape Town, Sonandi phoned him and his wife and said he was driving to Zimbabwe. But Hativagone and his wife did not believe him and proceeded to Cape Town. When they arrived they reported the matter to Bothasig Police Station which referred them to Nyanga Police Station which is near Sonandi Family Funerals Company.

Two police officers from Nyanga Police Station accompanied him to Sonandi’s house but he was not there. The police phoned him and he told them that he tried to repatriate the body to Zimbabwe but he was sent back at the Beit Bridge Border Post because he did not have acceptable papers.

According to Hativagone, Sonandi told the Nyanga Police Officers that the corpse was at his mortuary but delayed showing the corpse until the police threatened to arrest him.

“We later identified the body and buried it at Delft Cemetery but I still do not understand what he was doing with it all along. My elders in Zimbabwe refused his second offer to repatriate the body to Zimbabwe because they were aggrieved by his actions. They could not trust him anymore and the corpse was no longer in a good state.”

After the burial Sonandi asked three people from the burial gathering to wait for him at Delft Police Station while he went to an ATM to get Hativagone’s refund. He did not bring the money to the police station as he had promised and later sent a text which read, “Oky Im done now they say I will get my money within 12 hrs I make the notice. Sow the money you will get is 4 500 so come to my house tomorrow and get your money. So please do not call me I don’t want to have any argument now. I won’t pick up any calls till tomorrow.” This message was sent on 12 September at 14:02:50.

Hativagone said Sonandi should refund him R7,000. He phoned him on Monday 17 September but he claims Sonandi did not pick up his phone. Besides the refund, Sonandi also wants a detailed invoice from the company because this is required by the Road Accident Fund.

Responding to these allegations, Sonandi agreed that he was paid approximately R13,000 by the family for the funeral services but he says he encountered problems with the Zimbabwe Embassy which refused to accept the family papers because they were hand-written instead of printed. “They could not help me further because it was a public holiday in Zimbabwe.” He said he then tried to transport the corpse by road but when he reached the Beit Bridge Border Post, on the Zimbabwean side they wanted a letter from the insurance company and he did not have it. He says the police and security gave him a difficult time. So he gave up and returned with the body.

“It is impossible to give the family R7,000 refund. But I can give R4,500. I ended up organising a local funeral for the family. I incurred big expense going up and down for fuel. He [Hativagone] bought a coffin, air time to phone the family in Zimbabwe and corpse storage rental fees. I did not give them the R4 500 as I promised because when they approached me, they were violent, rude and disrespectful. I am an old man and have never been involved in violence all my life and that kind of behaviour is unacceptable. If they come back to me politely I will give them their money and there is no need to run to the media, I will sue them. I do not have a problem with the family. They should come and collect,” Sonandi said.