The Municipality is calling on Inanda residents who buried their loved ones in their yards to urgently contact the City’s Housing Unit. This follows the City’s plans to exhume graves and use the land for the housing project.
ETafuleni residents who buried their family members in their yards in the areas of Esihlekehlekeni, Down Town, Mpumalanga, Ejikeni and Angola are urged to contact the Unit. The City has commenced with the construction of services for the eTafuleni Phase One Housing Project. To date, many informal graves have been identified in the area and require exhuming and reburying in eTafuleni Cemetery.
Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee Chairperson Nigel Gumede explained that citizens must respect the land they use. “The Municipality wants to use the land to make way for a development to better the lives of citizens. We understand that exhuming bodies is very sensitive. The Municipality will communicate with the families concerned so we can work together on this matter.” The Unit’s Senior Manager Beryl Khanyile said the community of eTafuleni had buried their families within their place of residence. Khanyile said the exhumation was scheduled to take place between August and October. The families would also receive some kind of compensation for exhuming the bodies. “The compensation is defined and narrowed to customary or ritual requirements. The process we are embarking on is merely correcting the situation on the ground. The land that they have buried on is state owned and the eTafuleni Cemetery is a close distance,” said Khanyile.
The Unit is aware of the sensitivity of the matter and the Municipality had done several community consultation processes and there was no need for delays or for residents not to adhere to the Municipality’s calls, she said. “In an event where families resist, further engagement through relevant leadership will take place. Families affected should immediately come forward with the death certificate and Identity Document of the deceased and the Identity Document of the claimant. They should go to the Intathakusa Multi Purpose Centre, BD3 eTafuleni Area Inanda.
For more information please contact the following people:
Ntokozo Ngema Exhumation Specialist: 082 737 2228
Sandile Joyisa Senior Project Liaising Officer: 031 311 2469
Zandile Gumede Ward 53 Councillor: 083 689 9394
Sithembiso Gumede Ward 56 Councillor: 072 210 5009