SCARCITYSCARCITY OF LANDOF LAND

THE REALITY OF SPACE SHORTAGE AND THE REALITY OF SPACE SHORTAGE AND ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL BURIAL ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL BURIAL

METHODS AS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONSMETHODS AS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Royal Ntombela

Project Excecutive

Parks Recreation & Culture

eThekwini Municipality

REALITY OF LAND SHORTAGEREALITY OF LAND SHORTAGE

• People are born everyday and there is a People are born everyday and there is a need to provide for their passing on need to provide for their passing on from this world.from this world.

• Land does not expand.Land does not expand.

• Theoretically, the whole Earth can Theoretically, the whole Earth can become a huge cemetery one day – if become a huge cemetery one day – if practice does not change.practice does not change.

THE ETHEKWINI EXPERIENCETHE ETHEKWINI EXPERIENCE

• Central areas – 24 cemeteries only two still Central areas – 24 cemeteries only two still have new gravesites – rest are either full to have new gravesites – rest are either full to capacity (thus only providing recycled graves) capacity (thus only providing recycled graves) or have been proven unsuitable for burials.or have been proven unsuitable for burials.

• Major Townships have no fresh burial land.Major Townships have no fresh burial land. Umlazi – only recycled gravesUmlazi – only recycled graves KwaMashu – No suitable cemetery – KwaMashu – No suitable cemetery –

Residents using cemeteries outsideResidents using cemeteries outsideKwaMashu etc. KwaMashu etc.

• Competition for land unfair to Competition for land unfair to cemeteries.cemeteries. Low priority compared to Housing, Low priority compared to Housing,

Agriculture, Recreational Facilities, Agriculture, Recreational Facilities,

Industrial etc.Industrial etc.

THE ETHEKWINI EXPERIENCETHE ETHEKWINI EXPERIENCE

CEMETERIES CENTRAL SUBSTRUCTURE CEMETERIES CENTRAL SUBSTRUCTURE

Statistics Relating To Each CemeteryStatistics Relating To Each Cemetery NAME OF NAME OF CEMETERYCEMETERY

ESTABLISHEESTABLISHEDD

NO. OF NO. OF GRAVESGRAVES

FUTURE USEFUTURE USE

AvocaAvoca UnknownUnknown 212212 FullFull

CavendishCavendish 19691969 2 3012 301 FullFull

Dudley StreetDudley Street 19771977 3 3003 300 Not suitableNot suitable

HillaryHillary 19201920 2 3882 388 FullFull

KenilworthKenilworth 19301930 2 1322 132 FullFull

Loon RoadLoon Road 19401940 1 4611 461 Not suitableNot suitable

MayvilleMayville 19201920 10 64210 642 FullFull

MerewentMerewent 19771977 2 8332 833 FullFull

MobeniMobeni 19771977 9 8509 850 1 year1 year

Old FortOld Fort UnknownUnknown 196196 FullFull

RedhillRedhill 19101910 35 68335 683 Full with Full with ExplanationExplanation

StellawoodStellawood 19061906 43 07643 076 FullFull

CEMETERIES CENTRAL CEMETERIES CENTRAL SUBSTRUCTURESUBSTRUCTURE Statistics Relating To Each CemeteryStatistics Relating To Each Cemetery

NAME Of NAME Of CEMETERYCEMETERY

ESTABLISHEDESTABLISHED NO. OF GRAVESNO. OF GRAVES FUTURE USEFUTURE USE

UmgeniUmgeni 18821882 1 0251 025 FullFull

West StreetWest Street 18751875 11 44011 440 FullFull

Kwa-MashuKwa-Mashu 19651965 15 09315 093 FullFull

Umlazi (2)Umlazi (2) 19721972 UnknownUnknown Both FullBoth Full

NtuzumaNtuzuma UnknownUnknown UnknownUnknown FullFull

Lamontville / Lamontville / LTA GijimaLTA Gijima

19881988 9 0009 000 LTA GIJIMA LTA GIJIMA FullFull

PhoenixPhoenix 19981998 10 years10 years

NewlandsNewlands 20002000 10 years10 years

Inanda RegionalInanda Regional 19871987 ++ 1 year 1 year

Inanda Inanda SeminarySeminary

FullFull

• European Countries (UK)European Countries (UK) Woodland burials Woodland burials Cremations (70%)Cremations (70%)

• SwedenSwedenFreeze Drying methods. Swedish firm Freeze Drying methods. Swedish firm

Promessa Organic – internet websitePromessa Organic – internet website

www.www.taphophiliataphophilia.com.com – Eco-Friendly – Eco-Friendly

body disposal.body disposal.

• America, Australia & EuropeAmerica, Australia & Europe MausoleumsMausoleums

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCEINTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

• ZimbabweZimbabwe Harare City Council is presently considering Harare City Council is presently considering

doing away with establishing of new Cemeteries doing away with establishing of new Cemeteries and instead promoting Cremations as preferred and instead promoting Cremations as preferred option.option.

AFRICAN EXPERIENCEAFRICAN EXPERIENCE

• AffordableAffordable

• Can be provided sustainably Can be provided sustainably

• Service Standards easy to formulateService Standards easy to formulate

• Already provided by most Local Already provided by most Local GovernmentsGovernments

• Acceptable to some of our fellow Acceptable to some of our fellow CommunitiesCommunities

CREMATION AS A SUSTAINABLE CREMATION AS A SUSTAINABLE OPTIONOPTION

• Local Government subscribes to Batho Pele Local Government subscribes to Batho Pele principle and therefore would endeavour to principle and therefore would endeavour to provide this service in accordance with the provide this service in accordance with the diverse community needs.diverse community needs.

• Reality however dictates that some practices Reality however dictates that some practices need visiting.need visiting.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

• Local Governments will always endeavour to Local Governments will always endeavour to engage communities in coming up with engage communities in coming up with solutions. Hence the community awareness solutions. Hence the community awareness campaigns.campaigns.

• Communities urged to understand the Communities urged to understand the predicament faced by Local Governments predicament faced by Local Governments and therefore provide necessary support in and therefore provide necessary support in terms of finding solutions.terms of finding solutions.

• God gave man the responsibility of Ruling God gave man the responsibility of Ruling the Earth (Bible Genesis 1:26) This obviously the Earth (Bible Genesis 1:26) This obviously involves making informed decisions.involves making informed decisions.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION