Even if you’re late, you pay. No matter what the occasion!

By Cindy Witten
21 August 2008

Funeral delays on Saturdays is causing traffic congestion and overcrowding at City of Cape Town cemeteries and it has become necessary to impose a fine of R298,00 for those funeral processions who show up late for arrival.

Susan Brice, Cemetery Co-ordinator in the City Parks Department, says that on order to meet demand and provide the maximum number of burial opportunities on Saturdays, the City needs to insist that burial times are strictly adhered to in future.

“As it is becoming critical that people adhere to their booking times on Saturdays, that we actually must find some way of enforcing that people do not come late too regularly,” said Brice.

She added that when people are late, they arrive when other burials are taking place, which causes major disturbance, especially to the dignity of others who are trying to pay their last respects to the person that they are burying. Religious leaders and undertakers are urged to make sure that they arrive on time. It is also suggested that funerals be arranged for during the week, when the cemeteries are quieter.