Residents forced to hire chef’s vehicles for trips to mortuary

By Tererai Karimakwenda
20 March 2006

Some families in Harare have reported that they are being forced to hire vehicles belonging to government officials and ruling party chefs to transport their deceased relatives to the mortuary. Although it is not law, the families allege that policemen who respond when a death is reported are the connection to this entire scam. A Mabvuku resident who reports to us regularly said the police have a list of people you can call in any area that are allowed to bring bodies to the mortuary. She said privately owned vehicles are almost always sent back home. According to her the catch is that it can cost as much as Z$7 million for a distance of 20 kilometres. Petrol is currently selling at about Z$200,000 at service stations that have it. It is reported to be even more on the black market.

Our contact also told us about a man who died in her area 3 months ago but was just released from a mortuary last week. She said his family had refused to go along with the forced hire of vehicles and refused to pay the exorbitant daily fees now being charged at mortuaries. She told us the average at the moment is about Z$500,000 per day.

Those with access to resources of any kind are making a lot of money as Zimbabwe’s economy deteriorates, and with at least 2 500 people dying of HIV and AIDs alone every week, death has become a very profitable business in the country. Our contact said using a private car to transport a deceased relative is being treated as a crime by the police. She said several people in the Mabvuku area were jailed for a few days and beaten under their feet to hide the scars. It is believed police are paid a percentage of the money they bring in by referring families that need funeral services.