Durban - uMngeni Municipality has dismissed suggestions that it is not addressing the shortage of burial space in Mpophomeni Township, which has seen many locals taking to social media to vent their frustrations over their concerns.
A local expressed his disappointment over the shortage and blamed the current political administration of the DA over the problem.
“I want to express my disappointment with the closure of the Mpophomeni cemetery, which we only learned of recently,” said the resident.
However, another resident pointed out that the land started running out nearly five years ago.
“We may blame it on the current leadership, but the fact of the matter is that the problem started emerging years ago. It is no use to point fingers now,” he said.
Responding to concerns over burial space, uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas said there was no major shortage of space at the Mpophoneni burial site.
He conceded, however, that as with all cemeteries there will come a time when the site will be full.
“The municipality has started planning for this time. Our Development Planning Department has started to identify suitable land, and the environmental unit has started to do studies to determine if the land that has been identified is suitable for burials,” said Pappas.
The mayor added that a big factor to consider was the proximity of Midmar Dam and the relatively high water table in the area.
He advised those seeking to bury loved ones to contact the local induna for permission as the land belonged to Ingonyama Trust Board. Pappas pointed out that the municipality assisted with indigent burials, which took place at the Curry's Post Cemetery.