POLL | Is booze at a graveside a step too far or a celebration of life?

Noko Funeral Services made headlines earlier this week when images from a service they conducted appeared on social media.

In the images smartly dressed employees are seen standing next to tables brimming with the usual water and fruit juice and unlikely features: French wine cocktail Ice Tropez and popular sparkling wine Chateau Del Rei. In another image, the same beverages can be seen in a large black plastic tub filled with ice.

The drinks on display, at the family's request, sparked a huge reaction online, with some criticising the offering of alcohol for taking away the dignity of a funeral, while others viewed it as an extension of the celebration of someone's passing.

Two cultural experts, University of KwaZulu-Natal lecturer Gugu Mkhize and University of Johannesburg professor in African languages Gugu Mazibuko, weighed in.

Mkhize said while funerals had defined cultural practices, it was hard to condemn people who opted for grandiose displays that had fewer cultural ties.

"What's happening is not cultural, but I cannot say it's wrong because people have their own reasons for doing this,” she said.

However, she asked: "What value are we adding to our lives by doing all this? Traditionally  we respect the one who has departed, and we also respect ourselves."

Mazibuko said South Africa was a country with many social ills, with alcohol at the root of many problems. Calling for engagement and attention from stakeholders, she said "we don't live in isolation" but rather in communities that include impressionable young people.

TimesLive