Cape Town - The Western Cape has been hit hard by successive cold fronts over the last week and the City of Cape Town said operations at some cemeteries could be affected.
Water table levels at some cemeteries have been affected by the heavy rainfall.
On Wednesday, the South African Weather Service issued another warning of back-to-back cold fronts expected to hit the Western Cape in the coming days.
Mayoral committee member for community services and health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross said this is not a new phenomenon, but prevailing weather conditions have exacerbated the situation.
“I think we can all agree that this has been a very wet start to winter, and the impacts have been felt all around. Unfortunately, our cemeteries are not exempt, and we are working to manage the situation as best as possible.
“The Recreation and Parks Department has implemented mitigation measures, and the City appreciates the understanding and cooperation of families, mourners, and undertakers during this time,” Van der Ross said.
Families and undertakers were advised:
- Shallower graves may have to be prepared. This may limit the opportunity to bury a second coffin in the same private grave
- Extreme caution be exercised, as parking, roads and cemetery pathways may be flooded or slippery
- Wear suitable clothing and non-slip shoes
- Arrive to the cemetery timeously to alleviate parking congestion, stick to the 30-minute timeslot allocated
- Consider small groups of mourners attending the burial, particularly during adverse weather conditions
- When carrying coffins, exercise caution and avoid standing too close to an open grave
- Consider weekday burials
“It should be noted that where necessary, the City reserves the right to advise against requests for reopening of a family grave if it is in an area of the cemetery where it is very waterlogged and/or recommend an alternate grave or an alternate cemetery,” Van der Ross added.