DURBAN - KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Sihle Zikalala has confirmed that the body of slain rugby player, Lindani Myeni, is expected to arrive in South Africa on Friday.
Zikalala made the announcement on Sunday during his update on the state of Covid-19 in the province. He said the Consul-General in Miami confirmed that the United States government had released Myeni's remains to his wife.
"The body is being stored at a local funeral parlour. On Saturday, we had another meeting with the family at Richards Bay to discuss progress as well as the way forward. The Myeni family has indicted that Myeni's remains will leave the US on Tuesday, April 27 and is expected to arrive at the OR Tambo International Airport on Friday, April 30," Zikalala said.
He added that more details including confirmed funeral dates and memorial services will be communicated by the family, supported by the provincial government in due course.
"As a province, we are saddened that one of our own countrymen has been caught up in the ongoing spate of attacks by law enforcement authorities, which are apparently targeted at Black people in the United States. This objectionable behaviour should be condemned. Investigations must be thoroughly conducted and no stone must be left unturned. Justice must be served in this case," the Premier said.
Twenty-nine-year-old Myeni was shot after a scuffle with police officers who were responding to a report of a house robbery. Myeni, a former KwaZulu-Natal rugby player was shot four times and died shortly after. He lived with his wife, Lindsay, and their two children in Hawaii.
IOL