Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News 

Video Credit: CEN/@ConfessionWhite

The family who were filmed leaving their loved one’s corpse in an insurance company office have now buried him in their back garden and reports state he fathered 38 children before his death.

Thandaza Mtshali and her aunt Ntombenhle Mhlongo were filmed taking the body of their relative Sifiso Justice Mtshali, 45, into an office of the pan-African insurance company Old Mutual in the eastern South African state of KwaZulu-Natal.

The pair decided to take the drastic measures as Old Mutual had reportedly refused to pay out on a funeral policy claim.

According to local media, shortly after dropping the corpse off at an Old Mutual office, the company agreed to process and pay off the claim.

The family have now buried Mtschali in their back garden at their family home in Madundube in northern KwaZulu-Natal state after he died from natural causes on 7th November.

Local media report Mtshali had fathered 38 children before his death and his niece Thandaza Mtshali told reporters he had kept a record of each child and their mother’s contact details.

She said: “He kept this black book with everyone’s names and contact details.”

His family told reporters that only “a handful” of his 38 children had attended his funeral.

Old Mutual spokesperson Clarence Nethengwe told reporters the company regretted the situation and distress caused by the delay in the payout.

He added that the claim had first been lodged on 11th November and was sent for additional assessment before it was paid out to the family on 15th November.

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