Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE City of Bulawayo has identified a new burial site at their Goodhope Farm, which is located 17 kilometres from the Central Business District after it emerged that the city is fast running out of burial space with most residents resisting the option of cremation, on cultural grounds.
The local authority had previously identified two new burial sites at Marvel and Pumula—but the two places faced challenges that prevented any burials from taking place there.
Marvel Cemetery is awaiting infrastructure completion and has been difficult to access being located along Harare Road while Pumula South underwent trials and was found to be very rocky, necessitating specialised tools for burial.
This situation has left the local authority operating with just two active cemeteries, Luveve and Umvutsha, following the closure of all other cemeteries due to depleted burial space, except for those who had pre-booked graves.
According to the latest council report, the city has opted for a new site located within their Goodhope Farm on the outskirts of the city.
“The Director of Town Planning reported (Mr Wisdom Siziba) that the City of Bulawayo, as the local planning authority, was mandated with the provision of cemetery sites. Burial space within the existing cemetery sites, Luveve and Umvutsha cemeteries was getting depleted at a fast rate, prompting the need to open up new cemetery sites to cater to the demand for burial space. This takes into consideration the fact that the preferred method of disposal of the dead was through burials, as cremation was not popular.”
In many communities, including Bulawayo, cultural beliefs and traditions play a significant role in burial practices.
Many residents view cremation as inconsistent with their ancestral customs, which typically emphasise physical burial as a means of honouring the deceased.
For many, a grave serves as a sacred place where family members can gather to remember and pay respects to their loved ones, affirming their connections to their heritage and roots. The emotional attachment to the body and the perceived necessity of a burial site for the soul’s journey is deeply ingrained in local beliefs.
As a result, many people are hesitant to embrace cremation, viewing it as a departure from tradition and a violation of their cultural norms.
“The Town Planning Department provided for these sites in terms of the masterplan. One of the sites earmarked for the establishment of a cemetery in the immediate future lies to the north of the city centre and includes portions of the following properties: Goodhope Farm, Umvutsha B and Subdivision B of Mapani. A deeds search revealed that Subdivision B of Mapani was Government land, Umvutsha B was privately owned and Goodhope Farm was owned by the City of Bulawayo,” reads the report.
The local authority noted that a portion of Goodhope Farm that is currently not being utilised for farming activities will now be gazetted and used as a cemetery site.
“This piece of land measures 43 hectares, as depicted on TPA 9966. This area can accommodate 80 000 graves. The site is 17 kilometres from the city centre. Access to the proposed cemetery site is through the Victoria Falls Road followed by a turn into Sterling and then into Bulawayo Drive. These roads need rehabilitation and upgrading to handle increased volumes of traffic. The current link from Bulawayo Drive to the site is through an unformed road.
There is a need to construct a proper road on this portion, which spans approximately 6.7 kilometres,” the report details.
Subsequently, the site will now be handed over to the Health Services Department for the establishment of the cemetery.
