Cape Town - Undertakers grappling with the impact of the third wave of Covid-19 infections on the ground say they are concerned with the sharp increase in burials.
This as the City of Cape Town said cemeteries were experiencing incremental increases in the number of burials.
From just over 300 in a week towards the end of June, the number of burials last week climbed to 483, the City said.
Undertakers United Front Western Cape co-ordinator, Pastor Kenny McDillon, said they were experiencing a huge number of burials on weekdays and weekends.
“It’s a concern and we’re handling the matter as it comes. We’re hoping and praying at as far as cemeteries are concerned, the City work staff can keep on supplying and digging the graves,” he said.
McDillon said another concern was the supply of coffins.
“Cape Town’s coffin supply comes from KwaZulu-Natal. In the wake of what we have experienced in the past week we’re concerned that our suppliers can’t get supplies to their factories so that they can supply us and we have received a notice from one of our suppliers stating that the factories are running but they can’t get supplies to them. This is a concern because we only have one coffin manufacturer in the Western Cape,” he said.
Muslim Judicial Council (SA) second president Sheikh Riad Fataar said they were seeing a sharp rise in burials.
’’At the same time we’re seeing the cemeteries that were closed due to apartheid in Stegman Road, Claremont opening up soon. That will bring a release. But the Muslim community has seen a sharp increase in burials. This is a concern because of Covid-19 and we’re calling on people not to visit the cemeteries as per our customs,” he said.
Mayco member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien, said the increase in burials underscored the increase in Covid-19 infections and fatalities since the start of the third wave
He said the City’s environmental health practitioners had expressed concern about the non-adherence to regulations at funerals.
“This third wave is proving to be devastating, and while we realise how difficult it is to manage funerals in the times we’re living in, I appeal to the public to please keep personal safety and the health protocols top of mind at all times.”
Cape Times