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Family dumps coffin at company premise |
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Written by DeadGirl
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Monday, 12 June 2006 |
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by Bright Sonani, 04 June 2006
Africa
Business at a Lilongwe haulage company, Transcom Limited , came to a stand still last Friday when irate relatives of a deceased truck driver decided to dump the coffin bearing the remains of their kinsfolk at the company’s premises.
The relatives were protesting against the “inhuman” manner in which the company allegedly handles funerals. For close to four hours, the company’s offices turned into a funeral house as the coffin of Abraham Gunde, 33, ‘lay in state’ at the reception hall. All this time management was trying to figure out what to do to calm the situation.
The company, as it is its usual practice, released K20, 000 to the family of the deceased to assist with funeral arrangements and burial. However, the relatives felt the money was enough to cover all expenses including transport to Blantyre.
What probably annoyed them most was the company’s stand that the money was also inclusive of the deceased’s terminal benefits.
In angry and uncompromising moods the relatives resolved to take the body to the company’s offices. Eye witnesses said the drama at Kanengo started unfolding around mid day. “They came with the coffin, left it at the reception hall and left for their homes,” an eye witness said.
Embarrassed by the situation and in a dilemma over what to do, the company’s top brass immediately ordered security personnel to seal off all entrances to the premises and bar people, including clients, from entering into the premises.
A Nation on Sunday crew that visited the company soon after the body was dumped was among people barred at the entrance.
One of the relatives Justin Kilowe said in an interview at the deceased’s house in Area 25 that people were angered due to the inconsiderate way that the company treats its employees.
“My young brother passed away at 3.00 pm but when we went to ask for transport to take the body to the mortuary management refused to assist. We hired our own vehicle. Then when we went again this morning they told us that there was no transport and instead gave us K20,000, which was supposed to cover all funeral expenses, transport and terminal benefits,” said Kilowe.
He said this is what angered the family. The money could not meet all expenses for a man who had two wives and five children.
Management later sought the assistance of the police who took the body back to the deceased’s house in Area 25. The relatives, supported by the community, refused to receive the body and requested the only company official present to lead the funeral ceremony: washing the body himself and taking it the grave yard where family members offered to go and assist in the actual burial.
After protracted negotiations, family members softened a bit and ordered the company to pay K10, 000 for washing the body, K5, 000 for the undertakers and K10, 000 compensation for angering the community.
Village Headman Kalambo 1, condemned the company for its “grave negligence” of staff welfare on issues of funerals. “I agree with what the family and the other people agreed to do. If the company had proper conditions and terms of service this situation would not have arisen,” he said.
The body was finally buried around 7 pm when some agreements had been reached.
Gunde worked for the transport company for closer to three years as a long haul cross border driver.
Transcom has branches in Mozambique and South Africa. Malawi is its headquarters.
Operations Director Grant Reloux, refused to comment on the issue saying he had not been around when the incident occurred.
“I was not there. I am currently going to the Lake. But what I know is that the issue has been resolved, I got feed back from the office on what was happening,” he said.
Drivers interviewed randomly said the giving of K20,000 during funerals of staff members to cover all expenses has been one of the major concerns of the employees that are not receiving attention.
“Once the bereaved family is given K20,000 it is told that it is the end of all transactions since the deceased has stopped working. It means no more benefits for the family,” said one driver.
http://www.nationmalawi.com/articles.asp?articleID=17059 |
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