Dust to dust, but no ashes as South Coast crematorium remains closed
One funeral parlour owner said they phone in advance to find out if there is space.
South Coast families wanting to have their loved ones cremated are being forced to travel to Durban.
ALSO READ : WATCH: Port Shepstone crematorium gutted by fire – again
The crematorium in Oslo Beach was gutted by fire in February this year, and the new R10-million facility in Izotsha is currently still in the design stages, said Ray Nkonyeni Municipality spokesman, Simon April.
In the meantime, South Coasters have to travel to the crematoriums in Claire Estate, Verulam or Stellawood.
One Albersville resident said he was very upset by the lack of leadership displayed by local authorities and asked why a crematorium was not on the list of priorities.
Not only was he reeling from the death of his wife, he also had to travel to Stellawood to have her cremated.
And to add insult to injury, the cremation had been delayed for a day, which meant additional travel costs were incurred.
“When we arrived, we were told they had reached their quota for the day. We then had to travel home and return the following day.”
There had also been reports of bodies piling up at various crematoriums in Durban.
Herald reporters spoke to several funeral parlours along the South Coast, who report that for them, it’s business as usual, with the apparent backlog at Stellawood having little or no effect on their businesses.
One funeral parlour owner said they phone in advance to find out if there is space.
“We are a small funeral service, so this hasn’t affected us,” he said.
Cabri van Zyl, owner of Above All Funeral Parlour in Port Shepstone, said they haven’t had a problem, and that they also phone and book a cremation in advance.
“Since the Olso Beach crematorium burnt down, Stellawood has been very accommodating. If they are busy they will let us know, and at the most the wait is a day or two. Everyone is very understanding.”
Calls to Stellawood on Wednesday went unanswered.
Independent Crematoriums South Africa (ICASA) manager, Cedric Barthus confirmed that they were in the process of rebuilding the Oslo Beach crematorium and were waiting for the contractor to update them on the process.
“A section of the crematorium roof has been rebuilt and doors and windows are also being installed.”
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