IS THAT A 4-5 ON OUR PLATE?

HE MOURNERS stood back in horror after a plate of ulusu (tripe) was served.

Nobody wanted to touch or eat the meat.

The mourners were horrified to discover that the plate, although full of ulusu, also had what appeared to be a small and pale 4-5!


The Ndlovu family had slaughtered the cow on Wednesday night.

Family spokesman Khaya Ndlovu (51) from Mabheleni Village in Mthatha told Daily Sun: “When a loved one dies in the family, we slaughter a cow and eat ulusu the night before the funeral. It’s our family tradition. But when a plate of ulusu was served, we saw a small, light-coloured 4-5 sticking out. No one had the guts to touch or eat the meat.”

But the women who cooked the meat downplayed the incident, saying it was just the intestines of the cow. Despite this, the family threw the meat away anyway.

“We could not take any chances, but we are worried that we have failed to honour our tradition. We will slaughter a goat to apologise to the ancestors, and explain what happened,” said Khaya.

Miriam Bhove – one of the women who prepared the meat – said the mourners were overreacting. “They made us look like fools. How can a 4-5 end up in the food? The village women have decided to boycott the funeral. The family must cook the food themselves,” said an angry Miriam.

Village headman Kholo John said: “I will urgently call an imbizo to discuss the whole thing. The mourners are fighting with the cooks and the cooks are fighting with the mourners.”