Covid-19: City has burial plan in place for worst case scenario
City Parks says it is ready to cope with a sudden increase in fatalities.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) confirmed in a statement that it had made provision for mass burials under its crisis management business continuity plans.
According to the MMC of Community Development, Margaret Arnolds there were 37 cemeteries in the city, 33 of which had reached full capacity for primary burials. The remaining four had the capacity to accommodate 1 034 000 new graves. Some 517 hectares of space was available for new burials at the Olifantsvlei Cemetery in the far south of Joburg, Westpark Cemetery in Emmarentia, Diepsloot Memorial Park and the Waterval Cemetery in Midrand.
In addition to the grave sites, the City’s crematoria were also prepared for the possibility of a surge in fatalities, she said. JCPZ confirmed that it had two crematoriums in operation and had access to a third should the need arise, giving it the capacity to accommodate 41 cremations a day.
MMC Arnolds implored residents to stay at home and to adhere strictly to the rules and regulations of the lockdown.
Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news.
Dear reader,
As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
Readers with any commentsA or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
