Cape Town cemeteries reach capacity for Muslim burials

Four cemeteries in Cape Town have reached capacity for Muslim burials, with the option of re-opening older family graves being considered at the latest site - Constantia Cemetery, also known as Strawberry Lane.

The Klip Road, Delft and Muizenberg cemeteries have also reached capacity for Muslim burials, with the option of re-opening under strict conditions, including a police affidavit granting permission already in place. 

The Western Cape Muslim Undertaker’s Forum said they were working with the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) Burial Committee and the cemetery boards, looking at innovative ways to provide capacity.

The Muslim Cemetery Society of Wynberg announced on August 5 that the Constantia Cemetery had reached its full capacity and is no longer able to accommodate new graves, as they consider re-opening so-called family plot/ graves, which is 15 years old and more.

Ebrahim Solomon, Western Cape Muslim Undertaker’s Forum chairperson, said they were urging the community to consider older graveyards.

“This situation with Constantia Cemetery, Strawberry Lane, is not a unique situation to the Muslim community,” he said.

“If we look at the Vygieskraal Cemetery that reached its capacity many years ago, and now they are closed, they are only doing re-openings.

“The Western Cape has a serious issue pertaining to burial space, so we the Western Cape Muslim Undertaker’s Forum, in conjunction with the MJC Burial Committee and the cemetery boards, are looking at new innovative ways to provide the necessary capacity and look at the costs.

“The old Brodie Road Muslim Cemetery in Wynberg was re-opened after 127 years in April 2023 and we would urge the community community to make use of this site.

“We do understand that people have attachments, we also have the old Stegman Road cemetery in Claremont which was opened in January 2021, after 100 years."

Sheikh Riad Fataar, Chairman MJC Burial Administration, President Muslim Judicial Council said they noted with deep concern the closure of Constantia Cemetery for new burials, as confirmed by an independent engineering assessment. It said the development was a systemic challenge confronting the Muslim community in the Cape.

The closure of one of our long-serving cemeteries therefore has far-reaching implications for our religious obligations, communal infrastructure, and socio-cultural heritage, it said.

In the Drakenstein Municipality, which has 14 cemeteries, only eight have not yet reached full capacity.

The latest closure is that of Klein Parys, known as Paarl Cemetery, with new burials sent to the municipality’s new Nieuwedrift Cemetery, which started burials two weeks ago.

The Drakenstein Municipality announced that their new Nieuwedrift Cemetery’s first phase was completed by June at a cost of R2.5 million and provides for 678 graves in three burial blocks.  

“Phase 2 will add an additional ± 889 graves, bringing the total number of graves to 1 567. Further phases will follow in subsequent financial years, and once completed, Nieuwedrift will have a burial capacity of more than 13 800 graves, the municipality said.

The City of Cape Town's Community Services and Health Directorate announced a R45 million cemetery upgrade project and the planned expansion of burial capacity that includes Kuils River, Welmoed and Rusthof.

Francine Higham, mayco member for Community Services and Health, said: "The planned capital spend is part of a 5-year plan to increase burial capacity in Cape Town by 100 000 (double burials/reopening of family graves) through the development of new cemeteries and the expansion of existing ones. An additional R10.7 million will be spent at Maitland Crematorium on the installation of an additional oversized cremator, minor aesthetic improvements to the existing crematorium, mausoleum, parking and other ancillary building elements.”

On the issue of capacity, Higham said: “Many of the existing cemeteries are reaching full capacity and families are encouraged to use their private family graves for reopening on condition there is sufficient depth in the grave. The Cemetery Bylaw has no restriction on how soon afterwards a second coffin can be buried in a private family grave. As long as there is enough depth of soil above the first coffin and families have provided a South African Police Service certified affidavit to consent to the reopening; the cemetery booking office will confirm the reopening.”

Higham added that the MJC provided a religious Fatwa, that the reopening and reuse of Muslim graves may take place after 15 years. 

Higham shared the status of Cape Town cemeteries: 

• Klip Road Cemetery - the Muslim allotment has reached full capacity – reopening of family graves is taking place and in Welmoed there is space available in the Muslim Allotment  
• Delft Cemetery - the Muslim allotment has reached full capacity – reopening of family graves is taking place  
• Atlantis Cemetery - space is available for Muslim burial
• Maitland Cemetery - space is still available in a Muslim allotment
• Muizenberg Cemetery - Muslim allotment is full, however reopening of family graves is taking place
• Rusthof Cemetery- space is still available in a Muslim allotment
• Modderdam and Ocean View  Cemeteries - space is available.

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