Windhoek
A family from Okahandja Park informal settlement, whose baby has been in a mortuary for a week, says they do not have N$930 needed to buy a coffin and pay for the transportation of their baby’s remains.
According to the death certificate, the 18-day-old baby boy died at home last week Monday from natural causes. His remains are currently kept at a private mortuary.
The unemployed mother, Fransina Rooi, 39, said they have paid for a grave, but do not have N$930 to buy a cheap coffin and to pay for the transportation of their late child. Rooi, who previously worked as a domestic worker, is currently out of work, while her partner, Thomas Geingob, 39, who does temporary work, has been without a job in recent times.
The amount of N$930 is for the basic essentials only and does not include the cost of flowers or the transportation of mourners. Rooi told New Era they had hoped to have the funeral on Thursday or Friday.
With the assistance of community activist, Cornelia Hangula, the family collected N$124 in donations from neighbouring families that are equally wallowing in poverty.
When New Era visited the family this week, they had just received a donation of maize-meal, as they have no other means to feed all the people who gathered for the funeral.
To add to their difficulties, Geingob’s shack, which was in the vicinity of Rooi’s, had burned down on July 5. He said the brother he lived with had left a candle burning when he went to nearby shop. “I lost everything,” Geingob, who now lives at Rooi’s house, remarked.