The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says the decision to temporarily suspend burials at several municipal cemeteries following severe rainfall and flooding across the metro is necessary to protect public health, environmental safety and the dignity of the burial process.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, municipal officials acknowledged the emotional distress and inconvenience caused to grieving families affected by the suspension.
“The municipality wishes to sincerely acknowledge the distress, emotional strain and inconvenience experienced by families affected by the temporary suspension of burials,” said Municipal Crisis Communication spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya.
According to the municipality, persistent heavy rainfall has caused extensive waterlogging at several cemetery sites, leaving graveyards unsafe for both mourners and workers.
Officials cited multiple hazards, including saturated graves, unstable soil conditions, flooded access roads and compromised grave integrity.
The municipality also warned of environmental and occupational health risks affecting undertakers, cemetery workers and members of the public.
The municipality said calls for additional pumping interventions would not immediately resolve the situation, explaining that removing standing water alone would not restore the structural stability of the affected cemetery grounds.
“Technical assessments conducted by municipal officials continue to indicate that certain sections remain excessively saturated, posing serious risks of grave collapse, soil displacement and unsafe working conditions,” the statement said.
Municipal authorities said several mitigation measures are already underway, including continuous monitoring of affected sites, drainage interventions where possible and ongoing technical assessments by relevant departments.
“The temporary suspension of burials is therefore a responsible and necessary precautionary measure and should not be interpreted as inaction. Burials will only resume once technical assessments confirm that cemetery conditions are safe, compliant and suitable to proceed in a dignified manner.”
The metro has appealed to residents for patience and cooperation while assessments continue, promising that further updates will be communicated as conditions improve.
The recent storms and flooding have caused widespread disruption across parts of the metro, with municipal services and infrastructure coming under pressure due to persistent wet weather conditions. – SAnews.gov.za
