Imagine hearing that the bodies of your family members have been exhumed without your consent?
This is a predicament faced by many families in the eThekwini region in Durban.
The Culture, Religion and Linguistic commission is currently investigating this matter and finding ways to mediate between the municipality and the citizens.
The commission’s chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said it was shocking that the municipality would disrespect citizens’ culture and beliefs in this manner.
“People in the eThekwini municipality are recycling graves. Like my father who died in the 80s. If I don’t have money to put up a tombstone, they then take him out, put him in a plastic bag and put a new person in there,” she said
“They say there is no space but culturally that is very disrespectful. It’s a no no. So we are engaging with the eThekwini municipality to say this is not sustainable", explained Mkwanazi-Xaluva.
Head of Communications at the eThekwini Munucipality Tozi Mthethwa said that the “existing cemeteries have reached capacity with no fresh grave plots available for first time burials hence the need to re-use existing graves that are not leased” but that families are given an opportunity to lease their graves as they advertise the intention to “reuse” about three weeks in advance.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said that they have requested the municipality to stop recycling graves because it is not only unconstitutional but also ‘sick’ and should the municipality continue, they will be forced to take them to court.
According to Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, the municipality only recycle graves of poor families.
“They are recycling those that don’t have money to put up tombstones. If I don’t have money for a tombstone then you will recycle my father after 10 to 15 years but if I have money for a tombstone it is okay he can lie in peace,” said Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.
"The only communication the municipality sends out to the families is through the classifieds in the newspapers, but no one reads the classifieds. They say they advertise the grave numbers along with the message but I am sitting here and my parents are buried in Durban and I don’t know what their grave numbers are."
The eThekwini Municipality has maintained that they are not breaking any laws as the “reuse” of graves is mandated by The Constitution.
“The Municipality does not ‘recycle’ but reuses graves as per the terminology used in the KwaZulu-Natal Cemeteries and Crematoria Act No. 12 of 1996,” said eThekwini Head of Communications Tozi Mthethwa.
The commission have since called for a special legislation that will deal with graves in the country.
eThekwini municipality ‘recycling’ graves
Imagine hearing that the bodies of your family members have been exhumed without your consent?
This is a predicament faced by many families in the eThekwini region in Durban.
The Culture, Religion and Linguistic commission is currently investigating this matter and finding ways to mediate between the municipality and the citizens.
The commission’s chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said it was shocking that the municipality would disrespect citizens’ culture and beliefs in this manner.
“People in the eThekwini municipality are recycling graves. Like my father who died in the 80s. If I don’t have money to put up a tombstone, they then take him out, put him in a plastic bag and put a new person in there,” she said
“They say there is no space but culturally that is very disrespectful. It’s a no no. So we are engaging with the eThekwini municipality to say this is not sustainable", explained Mkwanazi-Xaluva.
Head of Communications at the eThekwini Munucipality Tozi Mthethwa said that the “existing cemeteries have reached capacity with no fresh grave plots available for first time burials hence the need to re-use existing graves that are not leased” but that families are given an opportunity to lease their graves as they advertise the intention to “reuse” about three weeks in advance.
Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said that they have requested the municipality to stop recycling graves because it is not only unconstitutional but also ‘sick’ and should the municipality continue, they will be forced to take them to court.
According to Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, the municipality only recycle graves of poor families.
“They are recycling those that don’t have money to put up tombstones. If I don’t have money for a tombstone then you will recycle my father after 10 to 15 years but if I have money for a tombstone it is okay he can lie in peace,” said Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.
"The only communication the municipality sends out to the families is through the classifieds in the newspapers, but no one reads the classifieds. They say they advertise the grave numbers along with the message but I am sitting here and my parents are buried in Durban and I don’t know what their grave numbers are."
The eThekwini Municipality has maintained that they are not breaking any laws as the “reuse” of graves is mandated by The Constitution.
“The Municipality does not ‘recycle’ but reuses graves as per the terminology used in the KwaZulu-Natal Cemeteries and Crematoria Act No. 12 of 1996,” said eThekwini Head of Communications Tozi Mthethwa.
The commission have since called for a special legislation that will deal with graves in the country.
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