State funeral for Oom Paul

2004-08-24 23:14

Dirk Kok

Hertzogville - The battle to get Oom Paul Meintjes into his grave is finally over - after 56 days.

He will have a "state funeral" on Wednesday, and there will be no mourners nor ceremony.

When Oom Paul died, "prophet" David Francis of Durban told his widow, Tant Anna, and two of her three children that Oom Paul would "rise from the dead".

For weeks, Oom Paul was kept "on ice" in the mortuary at R250 a day, while Hertzogville buzzed with rumour and speculation.

There also have been nasty scenes and tempers became frayed as the townspeople waited for the "resurrection" or a burial.

Now, 56 days later, Oom Paul's coffin will be placed in a grave dug by municipal workers, and the hole will be filled.

And then, everything will be over.

Captain Roelof Coertze, detective chief in Hertzogville, applied on Tuesday on behalf of the town and Free State police, for a court order authorising a government funeral for Oom Paul.

Order follows a long battle

Magistrate Lehlohonolo Muso of Hoopstad granted the order shortly before lunch.

Oom Paul has to be buried by the state within 24 hours (on Wednesday).

The court order follows a long battle to get Oom Paul into a coffin and a grave.

His daughter from Kimberley, Dalene Swanepoel, his sister who lives in Hertzogville, Hettie Vorster, and other loved ones have been wanting to bury or cremate him for weeks now.

His widow - Tant Anna, who had the final say - and her two children, Pieter and Petro Joseph of Durban, refused.

They were waiting for him to "rise from the dead".

After 49 days in the local mortuary, the funeral director delivered Oom Pauls' body at the Meintjes home.

The Free State health department intervened on Thursday as they found the body, kept in a coffin next to his wife's bed, was a health risk.

The family was given a choice - either bury him or have the state order a burial.

The body was taken to the state mortuary in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

As a courtesy, Tant Anna was given the chance on Monday to organise a funeral or cremation. No arrangements were made.

All these details were mentioned in the police's court application on Tuesday.

Many wanted just a decent funeral

After hearing all the evidence, Muso ordered the state funeral according to article 48.2 of the Health Act.

This is the procedure for very poor people who die or those whose bodies are not claimed by an authorised party (the widow in this case) for funeral purposes.

Swanepoel, Vorster and others wish it could have been different with a decent funeral or cremation.

However, Tant Anna, her other two children and the "prophet" have kept their silence for days on end.

Oom Paul's body will be handed over to the police during the day on Wednesday.

Then it will all be over.

- Volksblad