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Mrs Nesisa Mpofu

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council will soon re-open Athlone Cemetery for burials following its extension with people being encouraged to consider double burials to save burial space.

Athlone Cemetery in Northend suburb closed years ago after it ran out of space but burials of people with reserved burial space had been taking place.

“Athlone Avenue Cemetery extension has been gazetted and approved. It will therefore be used for burial soon. A detailed report will be submitted accordingly,” said BCC Director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Sibanda.

He said residents were being encouraged to do double burials and cremation.

“Double interments are being encouraged as well as cremation which currently is done on family requests,” said Dr Sibanda.

Councillor Lot Siziba and Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube concurred, saying double interments should be encouraged where appropriate.

Dr Sibanda said there were limited graves at West Park extension as other areas were water logged and there was an under surface rock.

He added that graves were fast running out because grave diggers were struggling to keep up with demand following the breakdown of the mechanical excavator on November 14.

“A total of 55 graves have so far been produced at West Park cemetery and 32 at Luveve cemetery with 21 and six labourers respectively. Efforts are being made to hire a grave digging machine to relieve the pressure,” Dr Sibanda said.

West Park Cemetery will be decommissioned in February next year.

Dr Sibanda said Hyde Park Cemetery extension could no longer be extended as the space now was for residential purposes.

He said works at Marvel cemetery, which will hold       4 000 graves, were underway.

“The city allows for two bodies in one grave usually by request and this is common with couples who indicate the same at the initial burial and the depth is adjusted accordingly. Allowing for second interment is not for purposes of space saving but accommodates families who want their parents to be close to each other at burial and would not have reserved a grave next to the first departed spouse at the time of burial. This is also only possible if the time lapse between the first burial and second burial is at least 10 years,” BCC senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said last year.

She said if a family indicates through application to the director of health services that they would want a second interment at the death of the first spouse, the grave can be dug deeper than the standard depth to a depth of 2,2 metres.

“In such a case the 10-year waiting period falls off as second burial can be done even within two weeks. Grave fees are paid in both instances that are at first burial and second burial,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said the local authority also considered double burials in cases of twin still births or when a woman dies during labour together with the baby. — @AuxiliaK.