The Harare City Council is in urgent need of a new burial site as most of its cemeteries re largely full, a development which is forcing residents to seek alternative burial space at private cemeteries or nearby areas The COVID-19 pandemic has led to rising numbers of burials with council grave diggers being overwhelmed This has forced council authorities to approach private parlours to assist with the interments Shortages of burial space has also seen private memorial parks charging in excess of US$280.00 per each burial
Harare City Council owns Warren Hills and Granville (kuMbudzi) cemeteries which have filled up while plans, according to acting city spokesperson, Innocent Ruwende, for a new site are at an advanced stage Government had released land for the establishment of a new burial site in Harare “Our staff is now overwhelmed and Nyaradzo has now chipped in and is assisting with grave digging We are also making efforts to ensure that other stakeholders follow suit
The situation has also been compounded by staff shortages as some of the workers are not at work because of the pandemic,” he said He, however, said council has not yet considered mass burials adding that while they offer cremation services at Warren Hills, most families have not approached for the latter “Mass burials are taboo among our communities, maybe, if it is at national level and people are not given a choice At moment, we are allowing double burials for couples with their consent
No doubt a new cemetery is now needed We have Eyestone Park, which we were given by government…about 142 hectares and we already have a site plan,” he said Private cemeteries in Harare include Glen Forest Memorial Park, Zororo Memorial Park along the Harare-Chitungwiza Highway and Restland Memorial Park, located on the peripheries of Dzivaresekwa high-density suburb The Restland Memorial Park has brought relief to residents of Dzivaresekwa, Kuwadzana, Mufakose and Tynwald while people in such areas as Hatcliffe have been forced to seek alternative burial space in Domboshava and surrounding farms in Goromonzi District
Source: The Anchor
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Source: Theanchor
