Family heads back to court, anxious community demands answers over body found in shallow grave

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of eNyonini Church president Thami Nkonyane deepened on Tuesday after plans to exhume a body believed to be his from a shallow grave in Osizweni were halted due to legal uncertainty. The body remained buried as confusion over a court interdict delayed the exhumation process, leaving both the Nkonyane family and residents frustrated and searching for answers. When The Witness arrived at the scene, scores of community members had gathered outside the property where Nkonyane is believed to be buried, demanding information from police and authorities.

“We cannot continue living in a community where there is a dead body buried and nobody is telling us what is happening,” said one resident, who asked not to be named. The latest twist follows a shocking discovery on Monday when family members, friends and supporters searching for Nkonyane’s remains allegedly uncovered a shallow grave believed to contain his body. The discovery came just three days after mourners were left stunned when a coffin believed to contain Nkonyane’s remains was allegedly found to contain bricks instead.

Police dramatically intervened at the funeral after the Nkonyane family obtained a High Court interdict stopping the burial. Speaking to The Witness, Nkonyane’s sister, Sibongile Nkonyane, said the family was disappointed that the anticipated court order had not materialised. She said the family would return to the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday in an effort to secure a fresh interdict to allow the exhumation process to proceed. “We expected the process to move forward today, but unfortunately, that did not happen,” she said.