Raynold Matusa, a 37-year-old who worked as a waiter in Claremont, was murdered on Thursday 24 August. Two men, aged 34 and 61, are currently facing charges related to Matusa’s murder and for the possession of suspected stolen property.
Transporting a body across the border is a costly endeavour, and in light of this, the Claremont community banded together to raise a sum of R74 000 to facilitate the repatriation of Matusa’s remains to Zimbabwe.
Christina Gorrini, Matusa’s former employer of two years and the proprietor of Mama Roma in Newlands, confirmed the overwhelming generosity displayed by the community in response to this incident.
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Speaking to People’s Post, Gorrini expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support, saying, ‘It has been absolutely amazing to see people giving like they have these past few weeks, and people keep coming to donate. This is also thanks to People Post’s article that helped get the word out.’
On Monday, 11 September, Matusa’s remains were safely retrieved from the mortuary by a funeral parlour. The funeral parlour will oversee the entire process, from the parlour to its arrival in Zimbabwe.
The associated costs for these arrangements amounted to approximately R38 000. Gorrini and others involved in the fundraising process reportedly intend to utilise the remaining funds for the benefit of Matusa’s 10-year-old son.
Gorrini shared, ‘The lady at the embassy told us how we may secure the son’s funds only to be used for the best education and support growing up.’
The overwhelming reach of people’s generosity deeply moved Gorrini, who noted, ‘People from as far as Benoni, even further afield, donated. One woman donated R500, while a couple in the UK also donated.’
A spokesperson for the Matusa family, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed their gratitude to Gorrini and all those who contributed to bringing their family member back to Zimbabwe. At the same time, they expressed concern about potential opportunists exploiting their brother’s passing for financial gain.
As the investigation into Matusa’s murder continues, the two accused individuals are scheduled to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 3 October, according to Claremont police’s Vispol commander, Lieutenant Colonel Marnus Fourie.
Both accused remain in custody at Pollsmoor Prison until their third court appearance.
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Picture: Suhyeon Choi / Unsplash