Westpark Cemetery a resting place for thousands
WATERVAL – In Westpark Cemetery various communities and organisations have taken ownership of sections.
Since 1942, thousands of residents have been laid to rest at Westpark Cemetery and around 50 burials still take place over any given weekend.
Many famous South Africans, including Ahmed Kathrada, Beyers Naudé and Simba Mhere have been laid to rest at this cemetery, which is among the oldest among Joburg’s 42 cemeteries.
Of these, 28 have already reached full capacity and are under-utilised. Westpark only has around six years of burial space left.
When one enters the cemetery, the graves of notable figures greet one on the right-hand side and a memorial site of the 42 children who died in the Westdene Dam disaster in 1985 on the left, which is independently maintained.
As you explore the rest of the site, other unique sections come to the fore.
Various communities and organisations have taken ownership of sections. These include a Jewish section, which contains a Holocaust memorial area and a military section for those who died in the line of duty.
