Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Zimpapers Writer
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has appealed to residents to strictly observe cemetery burial booking times to reduce congestion and avoid clashes among mourners, amid reports of funeral parlours harassing families when burials overrun scheduled slots.
According to the council’s weekly newsletter, MasiyePhambili, city health director Dr Edwin Mzingwane said both councillors and management agreed on the importance of adhering to strict burial timeframes.
BCC chamber secretary Mrs Sikhangele Zhou said families should not exceed an hour at the graveside, noting that most speeches should be delivered during church services.
She said families are expected to adhere to booked times for burial.
“On average, a burial must not exceed one hour at the cemetery. Most of the speeches should be done during church services,” she said.
Ward 10 Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu warned that delays during burials were creating unnecessary clashes.
“Residents should be encouraged to start burial programmes very early to accommodate all the speakers and the last rites that families would love to give to their deceased relatives. Clash of times at the cemeteries should be avoided,” she said.
Councillor Royini Sekete added that some ceremonies were being rushed, recommending that burials start earlier since the city’s by-laws prohibit interments after 1PM.
Council records show that 480 burials were conducted across eight cemeteries in June, while five bodies were cremated during the same period.
Luveve Extension recorded the highest number of burials with 249, followed by Umvutsha with 136. At the other end, Lady Stanley and Hyde Park cemeteries recorded just one burial each.
Some of the bodies were brought in from outside Bulawayo, including South Africa, Umzingwane, Umguza, Lupane, Harare, Gwanda, Matobo, Bubi, Bindura, Mberengwa, Kadoma and Zvishavane.
With burial space fast running out, BCC has earmarked 43 hectares of land at Goodhope Farm, located 17km from the city centre, as a potential new cemetery site capable of accommodating 80 000 graves.
BCC’s town planning director Mr Wisdom Siziba recently told the town lands and planning committee that Luveve and Umvutsha cemeteries are nearing capacity, making the development of new sites urgent.
Access to the proposed Goodhope cemetery would be via Victoria Falls Road, through Sterling and then onto Bulawayo Drive.
