The City of Tshwane is facing a growing concern as illegal land occupation continues to hinder the development of new cemeteries and the expansion of existing ones.
This is according to municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, who expressed concern that this unauthorised occupation is disrupting the city’s efforts to provide adequate burial spaces for its residents.
“Illegal land occupation is now disrupting the development of cemeteries across the city and aggravating the challenges associated with finding suitable land for burial purposes,” he said.
He added that the city’s Environment and Agriculture Management Department is competing with other land uses and is struggling to keep pace with the increasing population growth due to migration.
Despite these challenges, the city has approved a ten-year programme for the development of cemeteries and crematoria.
“The programme seeks to make sustainable provision for cemeteries and crematoria, with the objectives identifying and securing sites for the development of new cemeteries and the expansion of existing cemeteries,” Mashigo said.
The programme also included conducting geo-technical and geo-hydrological investigations to determine the suitability of the identified sites for burial purposes.
Its other objectives are for obtaining approval for the reservation of identified sites and acquiring properties that are suitable for cemetery development.
Through the programme, the city further seeks to conduct environmental impact assessments to obtain environmental authorisations for the establishment of cemeteries, the expansion of existing ones and implement capital infrastructure projects.
Mashigo said: “Through this programme, the city will continuously provide this basic and sensitive municipal service to Tshwane residents. However, residents are urged to be vigilant and report any suspicious illegal land occupation within their vicinity.”
He emphasised that these occupations can disrupt development by blocking planned projects, discouraging investors, and creating unsafe conditions.
“They also create a significant financial and logistical burden for the city,” he said.
The concern follows six months after the city’s Section 79 Environment and Agricultural Management Oversight Committee highlighted the growing incidence of vandalism at municipal cemeteries.
The committee urged the metro to install surveillance camera systems to curb the trend.
The shortage of security, according to the committee, has left cemeteries vulnerable to unauthorised access, disrespectful behaviour and criminal elements.
Recently, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Housing and Human Settlements, Aaron Maluleka, threatened to forcibly remove individuals who illegally purchased stands in Stinkwater Extension 10 in Hammanskraal, which were originally allocated to poor families relocated from waterlogged land.
In August, the city also launched an investigation into allegations of illicit sales of service stands in Zithobeni Heights, intended for beneficiaries in need.
