Cemeteries are there for a reason
Families who bury their loved ones on land that is not officially demarcated and recognizsed as a cemetery, stand the risk of losing the deceased’s remains forever.
This comes after the metro discovered an illegal graveyard close to Zonkizizwe. The Metro is cautioning its residents against this practice. Burials that take place in illegal cemeteries are not officially recorded by the municipality and are therefore unprotected.
“We suspect that residents have been utilising the piece of land (near Zonkizizwe) unlawfully to avoid paying the burial fee at one of the metro’s registered facilities,” says Director for Parks and Cemeteries, Victor Nesengani.
He said the metro does have a range of options for people who genuinely cannot afford the tariff, including second and third internment burials.
The metro also charges a much lower fee to residents who are registered indigents and those who are not registered can make a request for indigent burial through their ward councillor to the executive mayor’s office.
“We appeal to the communities to utilise Cambrian Cemetery in Boksburg or Kromvlei Cemetery in Alberton for first internments,” says spokesman for the metro Sam Modiba.
The Katlegong, Old Katlehong, Vosloorus, Old Vosloorus, Thokoza and Schoemans Cemetries are only available for second and third internments.
The Metro is appealing to residents who have buried in any illegal cemetery to come forward and make arrangements for exhumation and reburial.
They can phone Mafika Moloi on 011 391 2700 or Sanelisiwe Mongoai on 011 999 4650.
