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Northland car dealer Mark Cromie - Source: ONE News -
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The family of a gamekeeper mauled to death by a tiger will get their wish to bury his body at home in South Africa because of a Kiwi's Good Samaritan act.
Dalu Mncube, 26, died at the Zion Wildlife Park last week after being mauled by a tiger as he cleaned its enclosure at the Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei.
The Zimbabwe Association of New Zealand began a public appeal last weekend for funds to send his body home and about $5700 of the estimated $10,000 to $12,000 required had been raised by Wednesday.
Northland car dealer Mark Cromie says he offered to provide the balance needed.
"You can't just leave a body somewhere...it has got to go back where it belongs to get buried. I think tha'ts really important" Cromie told ONE News.
"We couldn't wait for the money to come in because it might be two months and it's important to get the body back straight away."
Cromie says his company had been involved with Zion in the past with sponsorship and lions had appeared on the Holden dealership's premises in a promotion.
He had met Mncube and described him as someone who had done a great job at the wildlife park, and helping with returning his body was a way of saying thank you.
Mncube's body is expected to leave Auckland on Monday night and will be accompanied by his friend Tshhifhiwa .
Apart from the financial donation, Cromie was also helping the family with the copious paperwork involved in the flight.
A four-time jet boating world champion, he said doing paperwork was something he was well versed in, having transported boats to races.
Mncube's family had been anxious to have his body returned to Africa as it would allow his mother to pay her last respects and have closure in the case.
It had also been Mncube's wish.
One of his brothers, Fortune Shumba, said the family greatly appreciated what Cromie was doing.
"They are really happy," he says.
"Getting the body back will be the most exciting news to them."
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