‘Deadbeat’ Father Finally Buried After Son Refused To Claim Body

A KwaZulu-Natal father whose body remained in a government mortuary for nearly two months after being rejected by his son was finally buried in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday — thanks to the intervention of a local funeral parlour.

Khipha Chonco died in the first week of January 2026 at Northdale Hospital. His body remained unclaimed until Tuesday, when Sibiya Funeral Services stepped in to prepare him for burial.

The funeral service was held at Haniville Hall across Copesville.

Son Refused to Bury ‘Deadbeat’ Father

Zakhele Chonco, 42, had openly refused to bury his father, citing years of neglect.

“My father has never done anything for me. Even when I asked him to help me secure an ID, he wasn’t willing to. Instead, he helped raise another woman’s child and even helped him get a certificate to work as a security guard,” he said.

Zakhele, who is unemployed and without an identity document, said watching others benefit from his father’s support while he received nothing had been deeply painful.

He had initially wanted those who benefited from his father’s assistance to take responsibility for the funeral.

Without an ID, Zakhele said he has been unable to vote or properly access healthcare services. He survives by growing and selling vegetables.

Funeral Parlour Steps In

The turning point came when Vusi Sibiya visited Zakhele’s home alongside Home Affairs officials.

Sibiya said he had been approached by Department of Home Affairs provincial manager Cyril Mncwabe and Pietermaritzburg office manager Xolani Maphumulo, who wanted to assist Zakhele in obtaining an identity document. However, they were concerned that the burial had still not taken place.

“Sibiya came to visit my home with people from Home Affairs and was touched by my situation. He was even shocked that I did not have food in my house because vegetable sales have been slow over the past few weeks,” Zakhele said.

Sibiya bought groceries and assured him that someone struggling to buy food could not be expected to cover funeral expenses.

“As a veteran in the funeral sector, I have seen that other people’s pain is not the loss; their pain stems from how they are going to afford funeral expenses,” Sibiya explained.

He provided the casket, tomb, tent, sound system, groceries, and transport to the cemetery — handling all burial costs to ensure a dignified farewell.

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“I believe that the most important thing is for people to receive a dignified funeral, no matter how poor they are,” he said.

Ward 29 councillor Sphamandla Madlala of the Msunduzi Municipality made Haniville Hall available free of charge for the service.

Madlala thanked all those who contributed to ensuring the deceased was buried with dignity.

What began as a painful standoff between father and son ended in reconciliation through community support — and a final act of compassion.