Cape Town - The National Funeral Directors Association of Southern Africa together with the Financial Sector Authority are warning mourners to be careful of bogus undertakers, as a seventh case of fraud was opened against Cape Town funeral home owner – Petrus Booysen, who is believed to have buried six people as paupers instead of cremating them.
The latest grieving family, living in Kraaifontein, were forced to arrange two funerals in a matter of days this week after the first one went awry, with the family blaming Booysen.
On Saturday, the family of Cento Pearce, 24, could not bury him as there was no hole and death notification paperwork, and his identity book had been cut up.
The nightmare continued when Pearce’s face remained open inside his coffin between 8am to 2pm in the scorching sun, leaving a decomposing smell in the air.
One of Pearce’s relatives, Torian Hendricks, who was nominated as a family spokesperson on the issue, said they were forced to call police and had a confrontation with Booysen.
They said they had to cough-up R850 for a new undertaker to collect and transport the body back to the morgue, and for another funeral service to be conducted on Tuesday.
They are now calling on Booysen's bail to be revoked.
“He needs to be stopped until he does this to another family.
“The family had to pay thousands of rands for a new church service and for the hole at the cemetery and for taxis to be provided," Hendricks said.
The lid on Booysen's alleged practices was lifted by the Cape Argus last month.
Police previously confirmed that six cases of fraud were opened against Booysen, of St Francis Funeral Services in Kraaifontein.
He faces charges of allegedly burying people as paupers instead of cremating them and allegedly providing fake certificates for ashes to the affected families.
.He is out on R1 000 bail and is expected back in the Kuils River Magistrates’ Court on March 14.
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, yesterday confirmed the seventh case was opened for investigation.
Deon Solomon, National Funeral Directors Association of Southern Africa chairperson, said while they were made aware of Booysen’s case, they caution the public to beware of fake or fraudulent undertakers who were not registered by an official body.
“What we are finding is that people are entrusting undertakers who are not registered with an official body or regulatory association like ourselves” he said.
“This person will operate from their home or come to the people’s home.
“This is not the standard operations procedure and where certification is granted, they need to have an office space."
The Financial Sector Conduct Authority also recently warned the public about bogus undertakers.
“The conduct of these entities amounts to unregistered insurance business and as such these entities are in breach of the provisions in the Long-term Insurance Act, and may be subject to a fine or imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.”
During a telephone conversation with the Cape Argus this week, Booysen denied being operational and claimed he was sick. Booysen said he was advised not to speak with the media when approached by the Cape Argus. Videos of him being confronted by the family of Pearce and police being present was shared widely on social media including the family’s TikTok account.