Lion Man banned from Mncube's funeral

Craig Busch was responsible for Dalu Mncube moving to New Zealand. Photo / Northern Advocate

Lion Man Craig Busch has been banned from attending the funeral of Dalu Mncube.

Mr Mncube, a keeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei, was mauled to death by the park's biggest cat, 260kg Abu, as he cleaned its enclosure last Wednesday.

A source close to Mr Mncube's family told the Herald yesterday that if Mr Busch attended the funeral at the park tomorrow, he would be asked to leave.

It is understood that some family members fear that the bitter dispute between Mr Busch and his mother, Patricia, will spill over into the funeral service and ruin it.

The pair's disagreement over the management of the park and over Mr Busch's dismissal is playing out in civil court proceedings, which were disrupted last week when the fatality occurred.

A discussion thread on Mr Busch's Facebook site blames Mrs Busch for the decision to exclude her son from the funeral and for apparently locking him out of the park since the attack occurred.

However, Zion spokeswoman Sara Reid said the park had not banned Mr Busch from the funeral.

"We're just working with the family as to what their requests are."

Mrs Reid would not say what the family had requested. "No one that I know has actually said to Craig, 'Don't come'. He would need to check with the family.

"We just want Dalu's day to be really, really special because he was a really special person."

Mr Busch offered Mr Mncube a job when he arrived in South Africa to collect three white lion cubs about three years ago. The Herald understands the two men were initially good friends but drifted apart.

Mr Mncube's body was taken back to the park yesterday so staff, family and friends could say goodbye privately.

Mrs Reid said everyone was still coming to terms with their loss.

"He was a huge, huge part of the park - just massive. It just seems to empty without him. He really was the life and soul of the place. He lived and breathed those cats."

The park remains closed to the public until it meets criteria set down by the Department of Labour and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry following Mr Mncube's death.

Mr Busch could not be reached for comment.