Sonto Masimula, a single mother from Etwatwa in Ekurhuleni, has endured unimaginable hardship following the sudden death of her eight-year-old daughter, Mawanda Masilela. Facing financial constraints, Sonto requested her landlord, known locally as “mastandi,” for permission to conduct her daughter’s funeral on the property she rented from him. However, to her dismay, the landlord heartlessly refused, citing concerns over “bad luck” in his yard.
For years, Sonto had been living in a small mkhukhu (shack) on the landlord’s property, struggling to make ends meet. She relied on government grants—her three children’s combined R700 per month and her own R350 grant—to cover rent and other expenses. With no funeral policies or savings to afford transporting her daughter’s body to her mother’s home in Mpumalanga, Sonto had hoped to hold the funeral close to where they lived.
### Tragedy Strikes and Leaves Sonto Hopeless
Little Mawanda had long battled with allergies and was in and out of the hospital. She was admitted again on Saturday, 28 September 2024, but sadly, she passed away the following weekend. Already devastated by the loss of her child, Sonto faced further heartbreak when the landlord refused her plea to host the funeral on the property.
According to Sonto, the landlord was adamant about not allowing the funeral to take place, telling her, “Who’s going to cleanse my yard?” His response left her with no other option but to conduct the funeral in the street—a solution she hoped to avoid, especially in her time of grief.
### The Community Steps In
Fortunately, Sonto’s story touched the hearts of her neighbors, including gogo (elder) Tshidi Nyembe, who stepped in to offer her home for the funeral. Tshidi’s kindness came as a huge relief to Sonto and her family. Mawanda’s grandmother, Sibongile Mahlangu, expressed her gratitude, saying, “It’s humbling to see that there are still kind-hearted people in this world. We’re grateful.”
Tshidi explained that she felt deeply moved by Sonto’s situation and could not stand by without helping. “I thought she was just an innocent kid. Offering to help was not going to harm me,” Tshidi said. Despite her efforts to negotiate with the landlord, he remained firm in his refusal, repeating his superstitions about bad spirits.
### A Glimmer of Hope in the Face of Hardship
Mawanda was a Grade 2 student at Barcelona Primary School in Etwatwa. Her death has not only left a gap in her family’s life but has also saddened the local community, who rallied to support Sonto in her time of need.
The funeral is set to take place this week, thanks to the generosity of gogo Tshidi and other neighbors who have stepped up to assist Sonto during this difficult time.
Despite the landlord’s refusal to help, the kindness and solidarity shown by the community stand as a testament to the power of compassion. The selflessness of Sonto’s neighbors offers her a small sense of comfort as she prepares to say goodbye to her daughter under far from ideal circumstances.