Family members saying their final goodbye at a beach.
Image: Video screenshot
In a heartbreaking ceremony, the ashes of seven family members from Newark were scattered into the ocean following a mass funeral held on Sunday at the Stanger High School’s sports ground.
A video posted on social media titled "Our Final Goodbye" shows the grieving family members walking onto the beach carrying seven wooden boxes with the remains of Alan and Sandy Monswamy, along with their children Kraidon and Shamarie, plus relatives Cliffy Padayachee, Mooniamma Padayachee, and Mariamma Appanah.
The video, titled "Our Final Goodbye," depicts family members and mourners despondently walking towards the beach. They carried seven wooden boxes containing the ashes of their loved ones, symbolising not just their loss, but the enduring bond of a family torn apart by violence.
The scene was complemented by melodies as a woman played the guitar, and attendees scattered flowers and released balloons into the sky, an act signifying the love and memories shared with those who tragically departed.
As the community mourns, law enforcement has been busy investigating the crime.
Today (Tuesday), three men arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of the seven family members are set to appear in the KwaDukuza Magistrate's Court.