Family of 2 Jeppestown building fire victims frustrated with process to get bodies from police
Malibongwe Myeni and Kwenzakwakhe Zulu died on Sunday when a fire ravaged through a hijacked building they were living in.
The aftermath of a building in Jeppestown that caught fire in the early hours of Sunday, 25 August 2024, claiming the lives of at least four people. Picture: Jacques Nelles / Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The family of two men who died in the Jeppestown building fire have expressed frustration with recovering their bodies from the police.
Relatives Malibongwe Myeni and Kwenzakwakhe Zulu died on Sunday when a fire ravaged through a hijacked building they were living in.
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The pair, who hail from Nongoma in KwaZulu-Natal, have been described by their family as hard-working men who came to Johannesburg in search of a better life.
While Myeni and Zulu were badly burnt, their family was able to positively identify them.
However, their bodies have not been released as police are still conducting post-mortems.
Family spokesperson Bhekani Zulu said they wanted closure.
"The family is very pained, and we are very concerned that their bodies have not been released to us to bring them home. This is causing further heartbreak for the family, as in our tradition, a deceased person should not stay unburied for a long time."
Zulu said both men would be buried in their hometown of Nongoma, north of KwaZulu-Natal.