Online Reporter
By Diana Nherera
NORTON Town Council says it will engage the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development, the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, and Chegutu Rural District Council to expedite the establishment of a new cemetery.
Council chairperson Councillor Action Mataruse made the remarks during the 309th Ordinary Council Meeting held last week, as the local authority seeks to address the shortage of burial space.
Presenting the Town Secretary’s report, Mr Kizito Muhomba said there had been no significant progress in identifying and developing a suitable site for the new cemetery.
“Our sister local authority is yet to fully come on board. We have encountered several challenges relating to boundaries and jurisdiction, which have hampered progress in identifying a suitable site for the new cemetery,” he said.
Mr Muhomba told councillors that the cemetery issue had remained on the council agenda for a considerable period.
“At one point, we visited Chegutu Rural District Council, where we met representatives from the RDC and the District Development Coordinator’s office,” he said.
“The town planners from the two local authorities were subsequently assigned to identify an area that could be prepared for use as a cemetery.”
He added that the council had also formally advised the Ministry of Local Government of the challenges it was facing.
“We informed the Ministry that Norton currently does not have adequate cemetery space and that it should not be surprised when residents are referred to Harare for burial,” Mr Muhomba said.
He explained that although the Ministry of Lands had allocated land to Norton Town Council for the establishment of a cemetery, the land falls under the jurisdiction of Chegutu Rural District Council.
Council will therefore engage the relevant authorities to resolve the jurisdictional and boundary issues and facilitate the development of the proposed cemetery site.
