Nandipha Magudumana’s family has dismissed reports that it approached the government to request that she be allowed to attend her mother’s funeral, saying the family is focused solely on mourning its loss.
In a statement, the Sekeleni family said rumours suggesting it had engaged the government were untrue.
“Amid the quiet ache of our grief, we have been saddened by whispers and rumours suggesting that we have approached the government or any ministers to negotiate for Nandipha’s presence at the funeral.
“We would like to gently share that no such conversations have taken place. We are simply a family in mourning, trying to find our way through this darkness together.” the family said.
Nokuzola Sekeleni died on March 26 at her home in Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal.
Her death comes just months before Magudumana is due to stand trial alongside Thabo Bester and several co-accused.
Magudumana is being held at the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Services facility in the Free State while she awaits trial.
She faces multiple charges linked to Bester’s 2022 prison escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre and the period that followed during which she allegedly harboured him at her Hyde Park home.
The pair were arrested in Tanzania in 2023 after fleeing South Africa.
Her charges include fraud, corruption, money laundering, arson, violating bodies and aiding as well as abetting the escape of a convicted criminal.
Her father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, is also facing charges related to allegedly assisting in Bester’s escape.
The family appealed for privacy as they prepare to lay their mother to rest.
“In this time of profound sorrow, we, the Sekeleni family, reach out to you with heavy hearts, seeking only your kindness and understanding. As we prepare for the final farewell to our beloved mother, we find ourselves navigating a path that is already incredibly difficult to walk,” the family said.
“Our mother was the heart of our home, and she deserves a send-off as peaceful and beautiful as the love she gave us all. To honour her memory, we humbly ask for your compassion and gentleness.”
They also urged the media and the public to respect their space during the grieving period.
“We kindly ask the media and the public to allow us to grieve in private, without cameras or coverage. This is a time where we deeply need silence, space, and the comfort of being together as a family, and we humbly ask to be afforded that.”
The family also asked that Magudumana be allowed to grieve.
“As Nandipha carries both the weight of her personal journey and the pain of losing her mother, we ask that she too be given the room to grieve in peace. We appeal to your compassion. Please allow us to lay our mother to rest with the quiet dignity and peace she deserves.”
Magudumana and Bester’s trial is scheduled to be held in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein from July 20 to September 18.
Bester however still faces multiple pending cases which could delay proceedings.
TimesLIVE
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