“Yi Film”: Funeral Drama Deepens After Bricks Allegedly Found in Church Leader’s Coffin, SA Stunned
- A high-profile funeral for a prominent KwaZulu-Natal church leader was halted by police, only for the family to discover the casket was filled with bricks instead of a body
- The drama unfolded after the deceased leader's cohabiting partner arranged the burial, prompting his legal wife to secure an urgent High Court interdict to stop the proceedings
- A criminal case has been opened against the popular service provider, Icebolethu Funerals, and the deceased partner, after the church confirmed the family is seeking justice
Source: Getty Images
A KwaZulu-Natal family discovered a casket filled with building bricks instead of their relative's remains after halting a funeral service at the final hour. The incident shared on Facebook by MDN News on 8 July 2026 has triggered a criminal investigation involving the service provider and the late partner’s partner.
The legal battle began when the Christian Catholic Apostolic Holy Spirit Church in Zion (Inyoni Emhlophe) scheduled the funeral of its fourth president, Dr Thamsanqa Nkonyane, for 6 June 2026 at Osizweni Church Headquarters. Just as the entourage prepared to depart for the cemetery, officials from the South African Police Services (SAPS) entered the venue to enforce an urgent interdict from the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Criminal case opened against Icebolethu
According to Facebook account MDN News, the court application was filed by Dolly Nkonyane, the late president's legal wife since 1988, from whom he had never been divorced. The legal action arose because the leader's cohabiting partner, Priscilla Sizeni Mazibuko, had organised the burial without involving the legal spouse. Following the execution of the court order, the entourage returned to the mortuary, accompanied by the police and the family. Upon their arrival, family members requested that the service provider, Icebolethu Funerals, open the coffin. This inspection revealed that the late president’s body was not inside the coffin and had been replaced with building blocks.
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See the Facebook post below:
Mzansi discusses the shocking funeral drama
The viral Facebook post left many viewers shocked and in total disbelief. Many demanded to know where the body was and questioned Icebolethu’s role in the witch. Some said the bizarre drama sounded like a movie plot, and confessed that they were confused about who to blame. Others advised grieving families to check and dress their relatives' corpses at the mortuary before leaving for a burial to ensure they were still the way they arrived.
Source: Getty Images
User @Madimetja Noko asked:
"Where is his body?"
User @Melvin Appolis advised:
"Families should make it a habit/procedure to confirm not only that the deceased person, but also that the entire body is intact and not violated."
User @Mandla Joe Makhubela shared:
"That’s why the family of the deceased needs to wash and view the body of the deceased before burial instead of giving the mortuary to do it for you."
User @Mnisi Sandile commented:
"Obviously, when you cohabit with someone whilst legally married to another person, you know there are risks that you could die there, so if you don't want to divorce, it means you know that should you die cohabiting, the person you're legally married to will be in charge of everything, especially your body."
User @Musa Nyandeni said:
"Cebolethu yona ivuma kanjani, hayi mani (how do they agree to this?). Not so long ago, they didn't want to bury someone because of the way he died. But now they prefer to bury bricks."
User @Nosipho Motsa Mntshali shared:
"Yi film."
3 Briefly News articles about funerals
- Three men were filmed in a celebratory mood, dancing and laughing at a loan shark's funeral, sparking debate online about them owing the deceased money.
- A woman discovered that her husband, whom she had buried 12 years ago, was married and living in another country with his new family, shocking social media users.
- A pastor proposed to a widow at her husband's funeral, in front of her family, her late husband's family, and his church congregation.
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Source: Briefly News
