Namibian businessman’s burial delayed

THE family of an Okahandja-based businessman who died in Congo (Brazzaville) is struggling to get his remains home for burial.

Fillemon Erastus, known as ‘Shamu’, died on 11 December last year while on a business trip in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville). His family planned to have his burial in Namibia on 22 January.

Erastus died after he had been diagnosed with malaria and hospitalised. However, a death certificate from the Congolese health authorities indicates that he died as a result of Covid-19.

Although the Congolese authorities have released his body for repatriation to Namibia, the chargé d’affaires of Namibia’s embassy in Congo, Anna Nangolo, has refused to issue a family representative with a letter of authorisation for the repatriation of Erastus’ remains. Nangolo explained that the embassy cannot assist because Erastus died of the novel coronavirus.

“The embassy can unfortunately not write such a request, because we know that according to the protocols governing the repatriation of bodies of people who died of Covid-19 we are not allowed to do that,” said Nangolo.

The World Health Organisation and the International Air Transport Association recommend that such bodies can be transported to another state requested by the next of kin, but this is subject to the regulation of the destination state.

According to the executive director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ben Nangombe, Namibia does not allow the importation of the remains of anyone who died as a result of Covid-19.

“Bodies are not to be transported, that is why if someone dies in a particular local authority you get buried in that local authority. Our regulations speak to the fact that bodies are not to be transported,” said Nangombe.

Should the family opt not to bury Erastus in Brazzaville they are left with the option of cremating his remains and transporting the ashes to Namibia in a funeral urn.

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