Community in Shock as ‘Dead Man’ Casually Walks Into a School in Broad Daylight

According to Daily Sun SA, first the man was missing, then he was dead, then he was buried . . .and now he’s alive again!

Pupils at Lunga Poo’s former secondary school in Alexandra, Joburg thought they were seeing a ghost when he came strolling through the gates on Friday.

After all, he had been buried only a week before! Pupils scattered in fear and teachers called his family.

His uncle, Sello Poo (45) rushed to the school where he found his nephew, the man they thought they had buried.

His uncle took him home to his overjoyed relatives and mourners who paid their respects came to the house after they heard the news of his return.

Lunga had been missing since October last year. When the family saw his picture in Daily Sun on 7 July, where he was listed as a missing person, they went to Helen Joseph Hospital, only to be told Lunga had died.

Sello said he identified the body and they arranged his funeral.

“The body looked exactly like my nephew. It even had a small growth at the back of its head, just as my nephew did,” he said.

But the man he identified was clearly not his nephew!

“We had cried and were still mourning him when I was called to the school. When I saw him I pinched him. I knew he was alive when he said, ouch! Then I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”

He said their stokvels and policies paid out money for the burial.

He said although the family was confused they welcomed Lunga with open arms.

“Lunga was an orphan. His mother died when he was young. We celebrated to make him feel at home as this was an opportunity for residents to see that he was still alive,” said Sello.

Lunga told Daily Sun he had been in rehab and the facility had found him a job.

“My employers wanted my school report so I went to the school to get it. I thought the teachers were joking when they said they’d buried me, but I believed them when I saw pupils running as if they had seen a ghost.”

He said he regrets not keeping in touch with his family.

“I hope they forgive me for what happened. It will take time for people to accept that I’m still alive.”