New multi-million City cemetery
It has been almost 20 years in the making, but the newest cemetery within the City limits is nearing the end of phase one. Situated alongside the N2 near the University of Zululand off-ramp, the cemetery is being completed in three phases and will serve the Vulindlela, eSikhawini and surrounding rural areas. The first phase - at a cost of between R13-R17-million - includes de-foresting the previously Sappi owned land, installing electricity and water supplies, construction of perimeter fencing and internal roads, as well as ablution blocks and an office building. Manager: Environmental and Recreational Services for the City of uMhlathuze, Ernst van Biljon, says phase one will be completed by late March.‘We moved onto site three years ago after several years of technical surveys.‘Land claims on the property also had to be finalised before the purchase went through,’ he said. The land - 30 hectares - was bought from the Department of Forestry for R500 000. Access to the cemetery from Empangeni and Richards Bay will be from the eSikhawini off-ramp on the N2. The City will then have six cemeteries - Richards Bay, Empangeni (Rail), Vulindlela, Nseleni, Empangeni central and the latest development. The old central Empangeni cemetery is technically full, with open plots in family areas and specific graves reserved for people who have not yet passed away. The same applies to the Vulindlela cemetery.‘The lifespan of our cemeteries is around 35 years,’ said Van Biljon. ‘We plan for around 2 000 sites per hectare and work on 30 hectares,’ he said.
Decrease
Van Biljon said the City registers around 35 burials per week. ‘Interestingly, statistics show that we have seen a slight decline in the number of burials registered in our cemeteries lately,’ he said.
This is not because the deceased are opting for cremation over burial. ‘There is no trend towards cremation that we can see,’ said Van Biljon. ‘The eShowe crematorium is running under capacity at the moment and there is no call for any other crematorium within the district at this stage,’ said Van Biljon. He added that the new cemetery will have allowances for an on-site crematorium should the need arise in future.
Death and taxes
Van Biljon said many of the City’s grave sites are booked well in advance for those making allowance to be buried alongside their loved ones.
It is for this reason cemeteries are labelled ‘full’ when there are plots that do not contain a coffin or headstone, yet.
The City allows for ‘second internment’ burials, which see two people being buried in one grave, one coffin on top of another. ‘The law states that no more than two coffins are allowed in one grave site,’ he said. For those wanting to plan their eternal rest well in advance, a once-off booking fee of R638 including VAT will reserve a specific grave site for you indefinitely.
When you do pass on, however, your family will be charged the standard municipal burial fee.
