- South Africa-based mourners charter jet, 2 helicopters to Tsholotsho granny burial
A SOUTH African family caused a stir in Bulawayo and Tsholotsho on Friday after they chartered a private jet and two helicopters to attend a funeral of a nonagenarian at Nemane village.
RICHARD MUPONDE/
NONHLANHLA SIBANDA
The white Jet Challenger was left parked at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (JMN) while the state-of-the-art helicopters flew the seven mourners to Nemane, which is about 133km from Bulawayo.
The black and silver helicopters were four and six-seater respectively.
Sources told Southern Eye the family are in-laws of 91-year-old Gogo MaMvundla, neé MaNcube, who passed away last week due to old age and was buried on Friday afternoon.
Investigations by Southern Eye revealed that Gogo MaMvundla’s son, a Mr Mvundla, married into the South African family – AbakwaDakile – which apparently appeared to have no qualms in flaunting their wealth by jetting into the poverty-stricken village.
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As the helicopters flew to Tsholotsho, a huge convoy of vehicles led by a Doves hearse carrying the body of Gogo MaMvundla from Bulawayo, caused a stir too on the ground as it stretched for about a kilometre with top-of-the-range vehicles forming part of the funeral cortége heading to Nemane village under Chief Gampu.
Sources said many villagers thought there was a political rally somewhere in Tsholotsho because of the number of vehicles which resembled those used by politicians.
Buses were hired to transport mourners to Gogo MaMvundla’s homestead made up of modest pole and dagga huts and a modern white-cream painted brick house.
The Southern Eye has it on good authority the jet carried seven members of the Dakile family and was hired from the South Africa-based Execu-Jet Aviation group.
Execu-Jet Aviation provides air charter services from Lanseria International Airport near Johannesburg and Cape Town International Aiport.
According to pilots of the helicopters, it took them 36 minutes to land at Nemane, Tsholotsho, from Bulawayo; a journey an ordinary car takes about three hours.
When the helicopters landed at Nemane it was a sight to behold for villagers who watched in awe while children ran around in excitement, calling each other to rush to witness the spectacle.
Instead of attending the church service before the burial of Gogo MaMvundla, some villagers chose to miss the proceedings and instead posed for pictures in front of the helicopters.
Councillor for Nemane village, only identified as Ndlovu, was at a loss for words when given the podium on behalf of the Nemane community.
“The Dakile family has honoured and done us proud by coming in this manner to pay their last respects. Our village is now known,” Ndlovu said, much to the delight of villagers, who nodded their heads in agreement, some muttering shuwa, shuwa.
Other villagers commented that although death brings grief and sorrow for them, Gogo MaMvundla’s death afforded them the unprecedented opportunity in which state-of-the-art helicopters descended on the impoverished area.
A catering team was hired all the way from South Africa. Sources said the five-seater helicopter cost about $500 while the seven-seater $2 000 for the journey from Bulawayo to Nemane.
They were piloted by two white male South Africans who were mobbed by villagers. In fact, the pilots were fascinated by the spectacle and appeared happy to pose for pictures with poor villagers some of whom had cycled long distances to witness the burial.
When the funeral service ended at 1pm, the seven South African mourners, dressed in black suits and with women carrying trendy Louis Viutton hand-bags, boarded the helicopters en route to Bulawayo.
The two helicopters circled around the homestead before jetting to Bulawayo’s Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport where the private jet was awaiting passengers for South Africa.
Chief Gampu yesterday confirmed the spectacle and said the two helicopters indeed landed in his area for the burial of Gogo MaMvundla, neé MaNcube.
“I saw the helicopters. They landed at Nemane in the morning. The family was coming for the burial of Gogo MaNcube,” he said.
“They left after the burial heading back to Bulawayo en route to South Africa where they are based.”
Visitors, airport officials and passengers waiting to connect to their different destinations were equally fascinated with some of them taking pictures of the helicopters and the Jet Challenger which had been left parked on the runway for about five hours.
The Dakile family sauntered out of the helicopters to the waiting Jet Challenger without speaking to the media which had rushed to theairport.
The helicopters followed the jet without any passengers.
