Cemetery management has entered the digital age, with Salga and Emfuleni launching a new mobile app and online platform
Cemetery management has entered the digital age. Picture: The Citizen/Faizel Patel
Cemetery management has entered the digital age, with the South African Local Government Association (Salga) and Emfuleni Municipality launching a new online Digital Cemetery Management Platform to streamline burial services, digitise records and improve access for communities.
South Africa’s cemetery crisis is driven by land shortages, vandalism and municipal neglect. Local authorities, bound by environmental rules, are struggling with overgrown grounds, stolen infrastructure and rapid urbanisation.
Cemetery pressures
To address these pressures, municipalities are turning to grave reuse, vertical burials, cremation – and now digitalisation.
The Emfuleni pilot aims to modernise cemetery management and improve access to burial services.
Going live on Monday, 14 September 2026, the platform supports efforts to strengthen municipal systems and improve efficiency.
Mobile app
Salga said the initiative responds to challenges including limited burial space, ageing infrastructure, fragmented records and rising demand for services.
“In Emfuleni, an assessment informed by cemetery visits undertaken in 2025 found that conditions had deteriorated since the previous assessment conducted in 2023, highlighting the need for improved management systems and planning.”
Residents, undertakers and burial societies can now submit applications online, upload documents, track progress and receive updates. A mobile app on Android and Apple devices will reduce reliance on in‑person processes.
Residents can access the site here: Digital Cemetery Management Platform. The mobile app was available on the Google Play Store, but not on Apple’s App Store.
Digitise records
For Emfuleni, the platform will digitise records, improve grave allocation and streamline administration, while providing reliable information for planning and monitoring.
“The secure, cloud‑based system is designed to support compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and relevant municipal by‑laws, while creating a foundation for future data analytics and automation,” Salga said.
“As a pilot, the initiative provides an opportunity to demonstrate how digital solutions can be applied to practical service delivery challenges within local government. Lessons from the implementation will help inform further refinement of the platform and assess its potential application in other municipalities.”
Solutions
Salga Gauteng Inclusive Communities Working Group Chairperson, Margaret Arnolds, said: “By harnessing digital innovation and data, we can improve efficiency, transparency and the experience of communities accessing these essential services.”
Arnolds added that the Emfuleni pilot provides an opportunity to refine and develop a solution that could benefit municipalities across South Africa.
