Big clean-up comes to KwaDukuza-run cemeteries

Clean-up operations and repairs are under way at KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) run cemeteries.

A weeding, grass-cutting and litter removal process has been undertaken at KDM’s 10 cemetery locations, and the municipality has further committed itself to repairing broken fences at all cemetery locations.

The Courier recently reported on the poor state of the Umhlali, Lindelani and Vlakspruit cemeteries, some of which were in total disrepair – specifically Umhlali which is the oldest cemetery on the North Coast.

A return visit this week clearly showed some progress, with grass cut and overgrown gravestones now visible again.

There are still isolated areas of litter, but the smells and sights of vagrancy have been removed.

Following a community plea to inspect the Nkobongo cemetery, similar clean-up operations there were evident.

Umhlali is one of 9 municipal cemeteries now closed for new burials because they are full.

“This is the case except for reburials or where a family has reserved a grave for future use,” said KDM spokesperson, Sipho Mkhize.

“The municipality does not always have the capacity to deploy operational staff to the closed cemeteries.

“This is directly influenced by a need for local government to run lean operations given their financial constraints.”

Vlakspruit cemetery is the only operational burial site in KwaDukuza and that is where most of the daily work is undertaken by cemetery and crematoria workers.

This includes grave digging, cemetery maintenance, burials and crematorium maintenance and cleaning.

“At the closed cemeteries, workers cut grass and trim overgrown trees and shrubs when they attend to reburials as needed. The municipality is also responsible for fence maintenance and repairs at cemeteries will be done in the first quarter of 2022,” Mkhize said.

The maintenance and care of gravestones is not the responsibility of the municipality, however, as the onus is on family members to tend to this.