THE eThekwini municipality says it is looking at lowering the costs of weekday burials in an attempt to end congestion at cemeteries over weekends

This follows the South African National Civics Organisation disapproval of alternative burial methods that were proposed by the department of parks, leisure and cemeteries last week.

The department proposed that due to the shortage of land, communities should use biodegradable coffins, recycled graves and standardisation of tombstones.

Its head, Themba Ngcobo, said they would continue with Sunday burials despite it costing the municipality more than R3million a year.

Ngcobo said if they did cut the costs of weekday burials, weekend prices would stay the same.

"Our grave site employees earn overtime for Sunday burials but we will continue to allow people to conduct burials," he said.

"The issue of recycling graves has been in existence for a long time but we are surprised by leaders who have accused us of turning a blind eye to African customs."

He said the late Zulu Queen Thomozile Kandwandwe Zulu, who was reburied earlier this year, had been buried in a recycled grave.

Ngcobo admitted that recycling of graves could pose a health risk but said they would deepen burial holes to 8 metres. Only graves over 10 years old would be recycled.

Sanco regional secretary Richard Hlophe slammed the municipality's proposals as "commercialising death".