Mbongeni Ngema’s family receive his remains

The Eastern Cape Forensic Pathology services have concluded an autopsy on veteran playwright Mbongeni Ngema.

Ngema died shortly after being attended by doctors at Adelaide and OR Tambo Memorial Hospital in Mbizana on Wednesday after a car crash involving a truck on the R61. As tributes for Ngema flood social media timelines, his family received his remains.

“The Ngema family identified his body at the hospital earlier today [Thursday]. The department conducted the autopsy and released his body to the family. The body is now en route to KwaZulu-Natal,” the Eastern Cape health department said.

Family spokesperson Nhlanhla Ngema said they were distraught.

“It’s difficult for the family, but we are trying to keep it together. We’ve been communicating. We are not all in the same place, but we’ve assigned people to do different things,” said Nhlanhla.