Ongoing illegal land occupations are disrupting the development and expansion of cemeteries, the metro warned.

According to the metro, land invasions continue to occur on sites earmarked for new cemeteries, worsening the already difficult task of securing suitable land for burial purposes.

This growing trend is aggravating long-standing challenges linked to population growth and increased migration into Pretoria, the metro said.

Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the Environment and Agriculture Management Department is increasingly forced to compete for land with various other uses, making it harder to plan for future burial needs.

“Most of the sites that the city had already identified for the establishment of new cemeteries are not suitable because the outcomes of geo-hydrological studies [are] often negative. [It] is mainly attributable to the prevalent high water table in Tshwane, particularly in the northern areas of the city,” Mashigo explained.

As part of its proactive efforts, the metro has approved a ten year programme for the development of cemeteries and crematoria, designed to provide long-term planning and ensure the continuous availability of burial and cremation services.

The programme’s objectives are to identify and secure land for new cemeteries and for the expansion of existing ones, conduct geo-technical and geo-hydrological studies to assess site suitability, and obtain approval for the reservation of identified land.

Furthermore, it involves acquiring privately owned properties suitable for cemetery development, conducting environmental impact assessments to secure authorisations, and implementing capital infrastructure projects.

“Through this programme, the city will continuously and uninterruptedly provide this basic and sensitive municipal service to Tshwane residents. However, residents are urged to be vigilant and report any suspicious illegal land occupation within their vicinity,” Mashigo said.

He emphasised that illegal occupation hampers development by blocking planned projects, deterring investment, creating unsafe environments, and placing major financial and logistical strain on the municipality.

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