15 000 grave sites needed in eThekwini by September amid Covid-19 outbreak

Durban - Authorities in eThekwini are scrambling to find solutions to the lack of burial space in the city as the coronavirus pandemic claims a growing number of lives.

According to a report the POST has seen, the City is trying to secure 10 000 grave sites in the coming weeks.

A further 5 000 sites are needed by September, the month the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths are expected to peak in South Africa.

eThekwini has been grappling with the lack of burial space for a few years.

Of the 66 cemeteries in the city, 57 are closed because there are no sites available for burial. Only nine cemeteries have burial space.

Authorities have been lobbying for cremations in recent years, but it remains unpopular in some communities. Even then, there are only six crematoria in the city, four of which are privately owned.

Funeral directors are calling for greater transparency from the City.

Muzi Hlengwa, the president of the National Funeral Practitioners Association of South Africa (Nafupa), told the POST they are worried about the rising death toll.

“Currently there are no graves in Durban. This has been the issue for years.

“Each year, instead of spending on grave sites, the City uses the budget for maintenance of housing or something else. They did not consider grave sites or working crematoria as essential and now we are stuck trying to figure out what will happen in future.”

Hlengwa said Nafupa was aware that additional burial sites had been

identified.

“There is vacant land in Verulam, Hammarsdale and Inchanga. It was previously used for farming. I am aware that the City tested the soil and it was suitable, but we were told the city could start working on it only once the budget kicked in.”

Hlengwa said when the association questioned the City about the lack of graves, it was told to encourage grieving families to cremate.

The City owns two crematoriums, one in Tongaat and another in Mobeni Heights.

However, Mobeni Heights is not operational.

Hlengwa: “We do not have proper

facilities for cremation, and it is

not cheap to cremate at a private

facility. Furthermore, even if we

convince 20 families to cremate

in a day, there is no capacity at

these facilities to meet an increased

demand.” 

Hlengwa said if the matter was

not resolved, he feared the worst.

“I fear this thing of mass graves.

We have seen it in Italy and other

countries. We heard rumours and there

was talk about mass graves. But no

one is confirming anything.” 

Logan Chetty, the chairperson

of the KZN Funeral Directors Association, agreed the Tongaat

facility would not cope.

“Tongaat does about three cremations a day. It will not be able to

keep up with the demand if the City

decides to cremate Covid-19 bodies. 

“There is also no burial space.

The only available space is at private cemeteries like Clairwood and

Lala Kahle Cemetery in Hillcrest,

which costs up to R10 000. If the

City is looking to build more grave

sites, the only available land would

be in rural areas outside the city.” 

Msawakhe Mayisela, the spokesperson for eThekwini, said the City

was working on plans should there

be an urgent need for burial space.

He confirmed that, after observing trends in other countries, discussions were held regarding mass

graves. 

Mayisela said there were four

strategies the City was looking at.

“Strategy 1 is that all our 66

cemeteries will be open for recycling and reopening of grave sites.

Strategy 2 is that surveys be done

in all cemeteries with land, within

the current boundaries. Strategy 3

is that cemeteries with potential

for boundary extension are being

identified, and Strategy 4 is that the

Cemeteries Land Acquisition report

is to be tabled at the Exco meeting

for adoption as soon as possible.” 

Thembinkosi Ngcobo, the

municipality’s head of Parks and

Recreation said plans were in place

to ensure there were enough graves.

“We have planned for the worstcase scenario. We will be hit hard. However, we are positive we will be

able to meet the demand.”

Mdu Nkosi, an IFP executive

committee member of eThekwini

Municipality, said there was too

much talking and not enough

action in the city.

“Covid-19 is taking a number

of lives every day. We need action

now. We desperately need burial space. This shortage has been

known for years. If the city implemented decisions long ago, they

would not be rushing now to get

things done.” 

He said a site was identified

during an exco meeting with the

eThekwini Covid Command Council.

“However, they were waiting

for environmental testing and

approval.”

Nicole Graham, the DA caucus

leader at eThekwini, said the lack of

burial space and the functionality

of crematoria had been a problem

for years.

“The reality is that most cemeteries are full and Mobeni Heights

still has ongoing problems.” 

She said she was aware the City

was procuring land urgently, should

it need to bury on a large scale.

Meanwhile, according to a four-page report POST has seen (Planning for approaching calamity in

eThekwini), the City was trying to

identify land that could be used for

cemeteries and crematoriums. The

report was allegedly submitted to

the City’s Community and Emergency Services Committee. 

The report said: “Clearly, (with)

the situation as it is, (we) will not

be able to cope with the projected

disaster. The projection is that a

minimum of 8 000 graves and a

maximum of 16 000 burial sites are

needed. Over and above this, the

City has a dire shortage of mortuary

space. The City has a grace period

of six weeks to be ready for the

delayed Covid-19 disaster that is

waiting to happen. Our approach is to be over

than underprepared. 

"To that extent,

therefore the City should secure

a minimum of 10 000 grave sites

before the end of the six weeks and

a further 5 000 during the months

of September onwards.”

POST 

• Cities urged to prepare mass graves as SA's Covid-19 death count rises