A growing shortage of burial space across Ndlambe has moved beyond a planning concern and into a lived crisis for grieving families, according to local undertakers who say overcrowded cemeteries, poor record-keeping and rising costs are compounding the problem.
The concerns echo findings contained in the Ndlambe Local Municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP), which confirms that most cemeteries in Port Alfred, Bathurst, Kenton-on-Sea, Alexandria and Boknes are either full or nearing full capacity, with new sites stalled by land availability and lengthy environmental approval processes.
Port Alfred is served by approximately 14 undertakers, many of whom say the pressure on burial space has reached an unsustainable level. One long-established, third-generation funeral business operating in the town for more than 40 years described a system under strain.
According to undertakers, East Cemetery and West Bank Cemetery in Port Alfred are effectively full, with only a handful of pre-purchased plots still available. Families who do not already own plots are increasingly being redirected to cemeteries outside town, including Nemato, Bushman’s River Mouth and private or church-owned land.
A major challenge raised by undertakers is poor centralised record-keeping.
“We only keep records of the people we bury. With 14 undertakers operating, there is no single system. Two years later families come back and ask where someone is buried, and nobody can give a clear answer,” one undertaker said. This lack of coordination, they warn, increases the risk of double burials or graves being reused incorrectly, particularly where graves are dug deeper to accommodate family members later.
Undertakers explained that while some families intentionally purchase deeper graves up to nine feet to allow for future burials, this is not always clearly marked or recorded. “They don’t always have a double grave. If records aren’t clear, you don’t know what’s underneath,” an undertaker said.
While no confirmed cases of graves being accidentally reopened have been reported by the undertakers interviewed, they acknowledge the risk is real, especially in overcrowded cemeteries. With municipal cemeteries full, Nemato Cemetery has become the default option for many families, but undertakers raised serious environmental and planning concerns.
Nemato is located on clay-heavy soil, which retains water. Undertakers warned that during heavy rains, waterlogged graves become a health and environmental risks.
“Clay holds water that’s what dams are made of. That water runs down into the river and into the valley below. People are living there,” an undertaker said.
They also raised concerns about poor sanitation infrastructure in the surrounding area, saying runoff from sewage systems and the cemetery flows toward nearby residential areas and the stadium.
“It’s very dangerous for the people living there. By now, everyone should have proper sanitation infrastructure,” the undertaker added. In addition, Nemato is described as poorly planned, with graves not laid out in proper rows, leading to confusion and further record-keeping challenges.
As burial space becomes scarce, costs have increased sharply. Church-owned and private cemeteries now charge between R3 000 and R5 000 for a plot alone, excluding digging and burial services.
In some areas, families are reportedly paying five thousand rands for private plots that require additional preparation due to hard clay soil. Bushman’s River Mouth Cemetery, one of the few remaining municipal options, is also almost full, leaving families with limited alternatives.
While cremation is an option for some communities, undertakers say it is not culturally acceptable for many African families in the area.
“In 42 years, we’ve only had two cases of cremation. Culture plays a huge role, so cremation is not a real solution for most families,” an undertaker explained.
This leaves families with no choice but to accept burial sites far from their communities, often at great emotional and financial cost.
Undertakers also questioned why certain adjacent land parcels near existing cemeteries, including land near Port Alfred’s East Cemetery and the golf course, have not been utilised.
“There’s open land next to the cemetery that’s just standing there. We don’t know if it’s private or municipal, but nothing is happening,” one undertaker said.
The IDP confirms that while land identification is underway, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) remain a key obstacle before any expansion or new cemetery development can proceed.
The Ndlambe Municipality’s IDP recognises cemetery capacity as a critical service delivery challenge, noting that:
-
Most cemeteries are full or nearing capacity
-
Maintenance and compliance issues persist
-
New cemetery development depends on land acquisition and environmental approvals
-
No municipal crematorium currently exists
However, undertakers say the pace of intervention does not match the urgency on the ground.
For funeral service providers, the issue is no longer just administrative it is about the families’ dignity. “This impacts families at their most vulnerable moment. Not knowing where loved ones are buried, being forced to bury far away, or paying huge amounts just for land it’s not right,” an undertaker said. As the municipality continues its planning processes, undertakers are calling for urgent interim solutions, improved record systems across all service providers, and faster action to secure and prepare new burial sites.
All the undertakers interviewed have requested anonymity, citing their business relationships with local government, which they wish to maintain.
-
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, January 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays
