Hundreds of heart-broken mourners gathered to say their final goodbyes to little Marche-Lee September on Wednesday.
The seven-year-old girl was laid to rest out of the Judah Community Fellowship Church in Mont Blanc Street, Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain.
The Daily Voice reported on the little girl’s death of unnatural causes on Tuesday.
Her grandfather, Charles September, spoke about the moments leading up to the day where he had to switch off his youngest granddaughter’s life-support machine.
He found Marche-Lee when she was already blue in the face after it is understood she came into contact with poison found on the very field the old man has been voluntarily cleaning and maintaining for years.
September contacted the Daily Voice to ask residents to stop illegally dumping, and also asked the City of Cape Town to do its job.
While little Marche-Lee’s white coffin was carried down the road to the church on Wednesday, a group of council workers were busy cleaning the small veld with three trucks to help transport the dirt.
A wail of cries could be heard as her tiny coffin passed her friends and family members.
Funeral-goers remember the little ‘blompot’, as her grandfather fondly referred to her, as a happy child.
Neighbour Anthea Marcus wiped her tears as she remembered fondly after the girl.
“She was everyone’s child. She was the child in the road who always used to greet with so much respect. We definitely feel the loss already because we don’t have someone eagerly shouting ‘morning’ from the field; all you see is uncle Charles cleaning now,” she said.
Marcus also commented on the council workers cleaning the field: “A bit too late for that don’t you think? Did it take a child to die for them to come out?”
When Marche-Lee’s coffin was wheeled into the church, her sister Nikita had to be supported by friends to her seat, while Oupa Charles reassured her that everything would be okay.
The grieving grandfather told the Voice that it was particularly devastating for the young girl’s siblings as they were really looking forward to Christmas.
“Now four days before Christmas we have to say our last goodbyes, but she is now playing in the fields of greens in heaven, where my flower belongs,” the distraught grandfather added.
Daily Voice