Cemetery runs out of burial space

BULAWAYO's major cemetery, West Park, has run out of burial space prompting the city to make contingency plans to provide graves that will last for only one year.

The development has forced the city to increase efforts to convince residents to consider cremation.

According to the latest council report, the director of the health services department, Dr Zanele Hwalima, said West Park Cemetery could be filled up by the end of this year.

"As at the end of October 2014, there was burial space available for about 800 graves which would last at most three months. For the above reason council was intending to move burials to the only remaining available space at the cemetery. This was the space between the cemetery offices and the crematorium car park," said Dr Hwalima.

She said the space was being used by destitutes for horticultural purposes.

"The space would provide about 4,073 graves which would add around 13 months of burial time at the current rate of around 300 burials per month," said Dr Hwalima.

The report also indicated that 387 people were being buried at the city's cemeteries each month with 14 people being cremated in the month of October.

Of the 14 people cremated, eight were females and six males.

Last year, the Bulawayo City Council was mulling plans to offer cremation free of charge to make it more acceptable to residents as the city was fast running out of burial space.

However, the idea was met with stiff resistance from residents who maintain that burning the body of a loved one is against cultural beliefs.

Councillors agreed that the concept of cremation should be sold to the younger generation and also encourage people to write wills and specify such choices.

The Bulawayo City Council in May last year approved Elizabeth Magdalene Dubois' application to establish a private cemetery in the area with a capacity of at least 100,000 graves.

However, residents of Harrisvale, Northlyn and Trenance challenged the private developer's decision to establish a private cemetery in the area without their consent by filing an application to reverse the decision at the High Court.

They later withdrew their application saying they are fighting a losing battle.

The Dubois cemetery was meant to be an upmarket facility for the upper class with a single grave expected to cost $500.

In their founding affidavit filed at the High Court early this year, residents said the market garden project which was being carried out on the 30 hectare piece of land was in sync with the garden city concept and was a pleasant sight.

In September this year, the Bulawayo City Council unveiled an ambitious plan to set up a cemetery for the rich where only casket size graves would be offered.

It would cost $500 to reserve a grave at the planned Athlone West Cemetery for the well-up, the $500 would be for the first five years and thereafter one pays 50 percent to reserve the grave for another five years.

Council said it would rake in about $4,7 million through the sale of 8,256 graves at the proposed cemetery.

Athlone Cemetery was closed some years ago after it got full and only burials of people who bought burial space at certain sections of the graveyard take place.

On the proposed burial charges, between Monday and Friday, residents would pay $575 and $582,50 on Saturdays.

On Sundays and public holidays, fees are pegged at $690.

The charges would go up for non-residents as they would pay $776,25 between Monday and Friday and $948 on Saturdays.