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Life is journey where our bodies end up in graves.A� It is at such times that we wish our loved ones peace and the reason why desecration of graves is a chargeable offence. A�
It is important that upon death relatives have many choices as regards the burial of their loved one.A� For many years, we had those options in Bulawayo but of late it is mostly two areas, West Park and Luveve extension, graveyards that are fast filling up.
It is of grave concern that residents are being forced to bury the dead in waterlogged graves at West Park due to the absence of an alternative burial place.
This is an issue that requires urgent attention from the authorities since the issue of burial land has been highlighted for years now. We are aware that land was identified for that purpose and we urge for a speedy solution to the issue of burial land.
Elsewhere in this issue we carry a story of relatives that were forced to carry out burials in graves filled with water.
The situation is so bad that burials are delayed while water is pumped out of the graves but no sooner is the water pumped out does the seepage fill the grave again.
We believe the small portion of the graveyard that remains is the one affected by the water logging since it is so close to a stream that always has water, coupled with the recent incessant rains.
If we had alternative land in a different area with different soils, residents would be turning to such a burial place.
We need that alternative land as a matter of urgency so that we give our loved ones decent burials.
There is no point in marking the grave a�?Rest In Peacea�� when you know that you left a coffin drowning in water and had to rush to fill up the grave with soil so that the water does not lift the coffin out of the grave.
It is our hope that we find more burial space soon so that at times like these when the weather does not permit us to use certain areas, we move to alternative sites so as to accord our loved ones decent burials.
That is very important in African culture and we believe it is a value that we should never lose.
The failure to act on time in availing more burial land is now being cruelly exposed by a combination of the weather and increased demand due to the rising number of deaths.
derick.khumalo