BURIAL space for Bulawayo senior citizens is fast running out and the local authority plans to convert a car park at Old Luveve Cemetery into a cemetery as it is still grappling with legal matters over the proposed new cemetery in Pumula South.
NQOBILE BHEBHE CHIEF REPORTER
It is estimated that the car park would take about 584 graves.
Bulawayo City Council has seven cemeteries namely Old Luveve, Luveve Extension, Luveve 3, Hyde Park (second interment), West Park, Lady Stanley and Athlone.
According to a report by council’s health, housing and education committee, the director of health services Zanele Hwalima indicated that space for the burial of senior citizens and pioneers at Luveve 3 was fast running out and converting the car park into burial space has been mooted.
“A piece of land which was used as a car park when Luveve Old Cemetery was functional had been identified as a possible site to move the senior citizens/pioneers burial site to.
“The layout plan conducted indicated that above 594 graves could be produced. At the current burial rate of five per month, it was expected the site would be usable for the next nine years,” part of the report reads.
According to the report, the West Park adult section has an estimated 4 331 graves left which can last for 12 months at an average rate of 350 monthly burials.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
West Park’s children section has 1 058 graves left estimated to last seven months while Lady Stanley could be in use for the next 44 months with an average burial of five per month.
“There was need to have the enabling legal processes for proposed new cemetery at Pumula South finalised to enable preparation of the site,” the report reads.
On the proposed cemetery near Pumula South, it emerged in 2013 that the land belonged to Hawkflight Enterprises and was meant for residential houses.
However, council resolved that the company be given alternative land as there was an urgent need for a new cemetery site.
The land measures approximately 70 hectares and is expected to accommodate about 150 000 graves. The land is expected to service the city for almost 28 years.
