KNYSNA NEWS - The common-law wife of a fisherman who drowned at the Knysna Heads in June 1997 is now finally ready to close this chapter of her life by commencing the process of obtaining his death certificate.

Knysna-Plett Herald (KPH) reported on 3 July 1997 that the body of Michael Mabhongo Ndabeni of Nekkies, who was a casual employee on board the Dolphin - which had capsized in rough sea conditions at the time - was not recovered and he was presumed drowned.

Nombulelo Didishe (49) said she has now started the process of having a death certificate issued for her late husband. Speaking to KPH on Monday, Didishe said Ndabeni left her with four children who are now all grown. 

"When he died our youngest child Anele was three months old, Athenkosi was a year-and-a-half old while Sinesipho and Mxolisi were six and eight years old respectively," she said.

According to Didishe, she and Ndabeni had planned to get married on the Monday but he drowned on the Saturday, two days before. "We had bought our rings and he was so excited when he left home. When he died, my heart died with him and I will never love anyone the way I loved my husband," said Didishe.

But 23 years later, she is now ready to move on, and stated, "It is painful and this has not been an easy chapter for me. I want to grieve and close this chapter. This has opened old wounds but I have to do it."

Didishe said it would have been better if she had been able to bury her husband. "Not burying has been painful. Every time I attend a funeral I cry because I could not bury my husband," she said.

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