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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO City Councillors have been discouraged from attending funerals to set an example to the community in curbing the spread of Covid-19.
Health experts have identified funerals as Covid-19 super-spreaders.
As part of Covid-19 prevention measures, gatherings have been banned while only 30 people are allowed at funeral gatherings to fight the spread of the virus.
Councillors and community leaders normally attend funerals to console bereaved families in their areas of jurisdiction.
In the Health, Housing and Education report contained in the latest Council minutes, Ward 10 Councillor, Sinikiwe Mutanda, said councillors must lead by example and stop attending funerals.
She was responding to Ward 22 Councillor Rodney Jele’s proposed road campaign to be undertaken by the Mayor, Councillor Solomon
Mguni, to encourage the public to go for vaccination against Covid-19.
“She also encouraged Councillors to lead by example and stop attending funeral gatherings but instead communicate with bereaved families using social media. This should also extend to long distant relatives and friends of the bereaved families,” read the report.
Contacted for comment, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Solomon Mguni said he was on leave and referred questions to his deputy, councillor Mlandu Ncube, whose phone was unreachable.
Bulawayo Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube said councillors are encouraged to reduce the frequency they attend funerals.
“In terms of Covid protocols and regulations numbers at funerals must be few. And councillors must lead by example, because such gatherings lead to the spread of Covid-19. So, they must not attend funerals frequently. Not saying they mustn’t attend, and it’s not Council only, but we are following Covid-19 protocols put in place by the Government and we must reduce attendance at funerals. We expect that
Councillors as leaders follow these Covid-19 regulations and everyone at all levels to do the same. This is to limit the spread of the disease,” said Mr Dube.
The city has recorded a rise in the number of Covid-19 related deaths.
In June, Bulawayo recorded 51 Covid-19 deaths and in July, the number shot up to 256.
According to council spokesperson Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, there were about 700 burials in the city last month.
“In July, there was an increase in burials in the city, where we had about 700 deaths compared to June where we had 383,” said Mrs Mpofu.
A visit to the gravesite in July, saw as many as 10 burials at a time being conducted by different funeral parlours from the city.
One funeral parlour employee said July was a busy month for them as there was a high number of burials that they organised.
“The funeral parlour was very busy this past month and this is very unusual for us. We usually have on average about 20 funerals per month. But in July it was a different case. We had 80 funerals in that month. I believe it’s because of Covid-19 deaths as there was an increase last month around the country,” said a source at a funeral parlour.
Councillors also mooted a ban of people attending burials at the graveyards dotted around the city as some residents were not complying with the maximum of 30 people allowed there.
Councillors said if the situation continues, they will be forced to allow only council workers and funeral parlours to conduct burials at gravesites without the presence of relatives and close friends of the dead.
“Councillor Silas Chigora emphasised the need for councillors to remind residents that only 30 mourners were allowed into the cemetery during a burial. Crowding at the cemetery gate should be prohibited. The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Mlandu Ncube) encouraged residents to comply with all Covid-19 regulations.
Residents should guard against the total banning of mourners at a burial. If Covid-19 continued and residents failed to comply to Covid-19 regulations more measures would be taken such as only allowing residents and relatives to attend church services, thereafter burials would only be conducted by the funeral parlour staff and Council Cemetery staff. Councillor S Sibanda felt that funeral parlours should assist in this regard,” read the council report.
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