Even though the current rate of Covid-19 infections in South Africa doesn’t follow international trends, city officials in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are already preparing for the worst.

The South African Cemeteries Association (Saca) has urged municipalities to plan ahead and be prepared for an increase in the death rate, against the context of the Covid-19 rate of infection internationally.

Saca is a non-profit organisation registered with the department of Social Development and is administrated and managed by municipal officials.

“Municipalities need to identify available graves in advance. If it is logistically impossible to bury huge numbers in single graves, then communal or mass graves must be prepared,” the association warned.

Even though the current rate of Covid-19 infections in South Africa doesn’t follow international trends, city officials in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are already preparing for the worst. These three cities are the most adversely affected by Covid-19, with a high rate of infections and several deaths recorded.

A member of the Cape Town mayoral committee for community services and education, Zahid Badroodien, said several emergency steps had been discussed, including mass graves. According to Badroodien, there is an ongoing process to allocate funds to cemeteries that could be extended, specifically for Covid-19 burials. In addition, if the death toll should surge, the city will enforce weekday funeral time slots to accommodate demand.

eThekwini Municipal Spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the city had chosen a versatile strategy, including recycling graves in 66 cemeteries, while looking to expand their existing boundaries.

In Johannesburg, Margaret Arnolds, a member of the mayoral committee, said the cemeteries and crematoria were ready for the looming threat of an increase in demand for mass burials. Arnolds says the city’s three crematoria are capable of handling 41 people maximum a day, should the demand rise.

“A large section of our population in excess of five million live in informal settlements and an even greater number (in excess of 13 million) stay in townships. High density living as a result of this and other circumstances that force people together, is unfortunately ideal for the spread of the pandemic. It is also evident that with high infection levels there will be an expected level of fatalities,” Saca stated on its website, adding that ideally, remains should be cremated as is advised by the health authorities locally and internationally.  It is a stated that this may pose a challenge as South Africa has very few crematorium facilities.

The organisation posted several recommendations to municipalities, including that consideration must be given to the suitability of land with regard to distances from communities and residential areas, high water tables and water sources.

Other recommendations are:

• Bodies should be buried in clearly marked, individual graves, although multiple trench communal graves may be unavoidable in mass disasters.
• These graves should have a numeric or other recognisable grave marking system so that associated details of the deceased can be recorded against the relevant number.
• Graves should ideally be assessible from at least two sides to allow access at a later stage by families, or for exhumation if the threat of infection is later eliminated and families request this.
• In mass trench graves bodies should be spaced at least 0,5m apart with clearly set permanent beacons identifying the ends of the trench grave site in order to identify burials of individual through measurement.
• If bodies are to be buried above each other in trenches, then soil must be backfilled to achieve 0,3m between bodies. The record must also indicate the position of the body in the grave in terms of bottom to top.
• Burials should be conducted during the day in clear weather to prevent complications with collapses and falls and to ensure good visibility for recording.
• While cremation is the preferred method for the treatment of covid19 infected bodies there are few crematoria available. Consideration should be given to using incinerators and also procuring portable cremators or incinerators. The challenges for procurement could take over six to eight weeks.
• Strict personal hygiene should be observed by all handling bodies and appropriate personal protective equipment including gloves, water resistant gown / plastic apron over water repellent gown, and surgical mask be used. Use goggles or face shield to protect eyes, if there may be splashes.
• Coffins brought into the crematorium should be sprayed and the path into the crematorium cleared and regularly sprayed.
• Ashes once cooled may be packaged for the family and handed to the undertaker. Packages should be wiped down with bleach solution and handed over whilst ensuring good hand sanitation.
• After use, the disposable items such as gloves and protective clothing should be disposed of in a plastic bag.

The above guidelines have considered recommendations from various accredited international and national organisations. Saca also recommend that cemetery and crematoria services be listed as essential services.

“The capacity of mortuary services to hold bodies which may unknowingly be infected may pose a risk to personnel and public in the environment. People may also die of seemingly natural causes while unknowingly being infected,” Pepe Dass, Chairperson of the association said.

He recommended that public ablution facilities be sanitised after every use and that cemeteries must be manned for burials only with the minimum staff required for excavation and backfilling as determined by the number of burials for the day.

Source: https://reviewonline.co.za/416690/cemeteries-association-urges-municipalities-to-plan-for-mass-burials/

The death toll linked to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa has not reached 100 yet, but warnings have already been voiced about the calm before the storm.

The spread of coronavirus infections has already prompted a number of changes to our daily lives, including how communities conduct funerals.

But the changes made for funerals might even be further removed from what we have known. The demand for burial space can very likely outstrip the supply as cities are preparing for the worst.

“As the municipality, we do have land that we have identified but we are not there yet, because we don’t have high numbers as yet that will lead to mass burials. But when we get there, we will organise and make sure we separate those sections to bury those people,” says Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public health in Nelson Mandela Bay, Yolisa Pali.

As things stand, there are 90 COVID-19-related deaths in South Africa.

The Western Cape has the most number of COVID-19 cases in the country with 1 737 cases. The province has 35 deaths and 236 recoveries. Gauteng currently has 1353 cases.

The total number of cases in South Africa is 4 793.

More than 170 000 tests have been conducted.

The Nelson Mandela Metro has 11 cemeteries, but space for burials is running out.

The SA Cemeteries Association says a rapid increase in deaths will place the cremation sector under tremendous pressure.

Its chairperson Pepe Dass believes that cremation is the recommended method of treatment for bodies infected by COVID-19.

“We also have been advised that if the municipality was experiencing a really large number of deaths, there are alternative methods for digging graves. Given the fact that resources may be strained due to lockdown, so we made the proposal of mass graves.”

However, mass burials will be new and don’t go down well with many people.

Director of Icamagu Institute, Dr Nokuzola Mndende, believes communities should go back to old ways.

“Although the government is doing this to stop the spread of the virus, it is also helping families to save money too as all these foreign intruders are forcing families to spend money because of expensive coffins and all the other things that are done prior to the funeral. I wish that our indigenous people can keep them, so that funerals can go back to the dignified ways our forefathers used to do a funeral.”

This issue is also a hot talking point.

“For us, things such as funerals are not as personal as other cultures. We normally do cremations and a memorial service with very few people. So, although death is painful, we see it as a passage to another life and how people are buried is not a huge dilemma,” says one resident of Nelson Mandela Bay.

“I understand where they are coming from and the rationale behind it. But if I had to bury a loved one in a mass grave, it would hurt so much. Burials are such a personal thing, where we want a proper tombstone so that we can visit and talk to them as and when we want to,” added another one.

The South African Cemeteries Association has proposed that funerals be conducted during the week to prevent mass gatherings.

To date, there are over 212 000 deaths all over the world out of more than three million infections. There are close to a million recoveries recorded so far around the world.

Below is a Live Tracking of the cases, death toll and other information, updated daily:

Published by Lucinda Dordley

The South African Cemeteries Association (SACA) is urging municipalities to be prepared for an increase in the death rate due to the COVID-19 pandemic in context of the international rate of infection.

“Whilst everything reasonably possible is being done to contain the pandemic with the lockdown, our socioeconomic conditions will nevertheless pose an incredible challenge to achieve the objective of containment measures,” SACA said in a statement.

“A large section of our population – in excess of 5-million – live in informal settlements and an even greater number (in excess of 13 million) live in townships,” it added. “High-density living as a result of this and other circumstances that force people together, and unfortunately is ideal for the spread of the pandemic. It is also evident that with high infection levels there will be an expected level of fatality.”

As a result, SACA has recommended that municipalities put plans in place if this has not already been done.

“Ideally remains should be cremated as is advised by the health authorities locally and internationally, however this may pose a challenge as South Africa has very few crematorium facilities,” the Association said.

The following recommendations are provided by SACA to guide municipalities:

Burials

– Identify land within cemeteries to be prepared for emergency burials for bodies identified as infected. If this is unavailable, then consider adjacent vacant land to existing cemeteries that may be expropriated if private or incorporate it into the existing boundary of the cemetery if the land is municipal-owned.

– Identify any other suitable state owned or municipal land if the above option is not available.

– Consideration must be given to suitability of land with regards to distances from communities and residential areas, high water tables and water sources.

– Current legislation requires cemeteries to be located 350m from ground water sources used for drinking purposes and at least 500m from the nearest habitable building.

– The preferred burial site should have a soil of sand-clay mix of low porosity and a small fine-grain texture; the water table should be at least 2.5m deep to allow for traditional grave depth of six feet (1.8 meters).

– For areas with higher water tables, the local government may determine a reasonable depth with additional walling recommendations to protect underground water. The covering soil shall not be less than 1m; should two bodies be buried in the same grave, 300mm of soil shall be maintained between the coffins or bodies.

“SACA advises that in a state of emergency or national disaster exemption for relaxation from existing environmental regulations (above) may be required,” the Association said.

– Application for the relaxation of environmental regulations may include the distance between the burial ground and residential area reduced to 100m. (WHO recommends 100m-500m)

– Water table requirements reduced to less 2.5m but greater than 2m if burying two bodies per grave or no less than 1.8m if burying a single body per grave. There should be a level of soil of at least 0.5m between the water table and the barrier/ plastic lining.

– Reduction of the distance between the burial site and water sources like rivers, lakes, etc to 100m. (WHO recommends 50m)

– Plastic linings similar to that used in land filled sites for the prevention of leachate should be used. This should not be biodegradable.

– Bodies should be buried in clearly marked, individual graves, although multiple trench communal graves may be unavoidable in mass disasters.

– These graves should have a numeric or other recognisable grave marking system so that associated details of the deceased can be recorded against the relevant number.

– Graves should ideally be accessible from at least two sides to allow access at a later stage by families, or for exhumation if the threat of infection is later eliminated and families request this.

– The paths between trenches must be wide enough to allow for mechanical backfill which is the preferred least labour-intensive method.

– In mass trench graves, bodies should be spaced at least 0.5m apart with clearly set permanent beacons identifying the ends of the trench grave site.

– If bodies are to be buried above each other in trenches, then soil must be backfilled to achieve 0.3m between bodies. The record must also indicate the position of the body in the grave in terms of bottom to top.

– Burials should be conducted during the day in clear weather to prevent complications with collapses and falls and to ensure good visibility for recording.

– Details of personnel employed in the exercise will need to be kept for further reference if required.

Cremation

– Whilst cremation is the preferred method for the treatment of COVID-19 infected bodies, there are few crematoria available. Consideration should be given to using incinerators and also procuring portable cremators or incinerators. The challenges for procurement could take over 6-8 weeks.

– Storage facilities need to be functional or increased by the use of portable refrigeration containers which may accommodate approximately 100 bodies per container.

– All existing/new/portable storage facilities must be certified compliant by an environmental health practitioner operating within the local authority.

– Observe strict personal hygiene and put on appropriate personal protective equipment including gloves, water resistant gown / plastic apron over water repellent gown, and surgical mask. Use goggles or face shield to protect eyes, as there may be splashes.

– Do NOT smoke, drink or eat. Do NOT touch your eyes, mouth or nose.

– Coffins brought into the crematorium should be sprayed and the path into the crematorium cleared and regularly sprayed.

– All surfaces which may be contaminated should be wiped with “1 in 49 diluted household bleach” (mixing 1 part of 5.25% bleach with 49 parts of water), leave it for 15-30 minutes, and then rinse with water. Metal surfaces could be wiped with 70% alcohol.

– Ashes once cooled may be packaged for the family and handed to the undertaker. Packages should be wiped down with bleach solution and handed over whilst ensuring good hand sanitation.

– After use, the disposable items such as gloves and protective clothing should be disposed of in a plastic bag.

“The above guidelines have considered recommendations from various accredited international and national organisations,” SACA added.

Source: https://www.capetownetc.com/news/sa-cemeteries-association-recommends-mass-graves/

by Sarah Smit

ecent drone footage of caskets being lowered into Hart Island’s trench-like graves is a grim reminder of the potential toll of the coronavirus.

As New York’s potter’s field, Hart Island has been a burial site for the densely populated city’s unclaimed dead for more than a century. The coronavirus outbreak in the city, which by Tuesday had claimed the lives of 7 349 New Yorkers, has led to a surge of burials on the island.

But New York is not the only city that will have to plan for what to do with the dead.

For years South African municipalities have warned that they are running out of burial land. The Covid-19 outbreak in the country will put pressure on the authorities to respond to this need.

On Monday, Professor Salim Abdool Karim — who is advising the government’s response to Covid-19 — revealed South Africa’s eight-stage strategy for dealing with the disease and its aftermath. At the time of Karim’s presentation, the coronavirus death toll in South Africa was 27.

Stage seven of the plan deals with “the challenges of bereavement”, he said, which includes expanding burial capacity, instituting regulations for funerals and tackling the psychological impact of the outbreak.

“It is hard to say this. I know you don’t want to hear this. But we have to be ready,” Karim said. “We have to prepare now so that we can deal with the mental health consequences [and] the social consequences that are going to see us go through a difficult period.”

Burial and cremation guidelines
On the day before the March 27 lockdown began, the South African Cemeteries Association (Saca) released guidelines for “the preparation of mass burials and cremation of Covid-19 victims”.

“In anticipation of the increase in the death rate, municipalities are recommended to put plans in place if this has not already been done,” the statement read.

The statement recommends that municipalities identify extra land that can be used for burials in the event that deaths rise. It also suggests that municipalities procure incinerators so that more cremations can be performed.

Speaking to the Mail & Guardian, Saca chairperson Pepe Dass said he believes that the country will be able to cope with the potential death toll. “But what we were trying to put out in terms of a message as the South African Cemeteries Association is that municipalities must make the effort to be prepared.”

Dass said these preparations must be considered alongside the government’s other efforts to flatten the curve of the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), people who die of Covid-19 should be cremated. But if cremation is not possible, burial must follow strict procedures: the body must be placed in a leak-proof triple body bag and then buried in a nontransparent coffin.

In its statement, the cemeteries association pointed out that the low number of crematoriums in South Africa makes cremation a difficult option. Dass said the country’s crematoriums are not equipped to deal with a potential surge in deaths. “It definitely needs to step up,” he said.

Last month, when deaths in Italy passed 8 000, the Bergamo mayor Giorgio Gori told AFP that the city’s crematorium could not cope with the number of dead passing through its doors. The city, in northern Italy, was the epicentre of the coronavirus in the country, which now has the second-highest number of deaths after the United States.

Shortage of crematoriums
The three municipalities with the highest number of Covid-19 cases — the City of Johannesburg in Gauteng, the City of Cape Town in the Western Cape and the City of eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal — have five crematoriums between them.

In the past, cremations have been the less popular option. Data in a 2016 report by the South African Local Government Association (Salga) shows that between 2009 and 2012 burial was consistently the preferred practice across all eight metropolitan municipalities.

The Salga report identified land scarcity as one of the main problems municipalities face in managing cemeteries.

Dass said: “Because you have a challenge, especially in large centres, like Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg, with land — and because they are also major sites of infection — they should especially take heed and prepare.”

Major metropolitan municipalities have in recent years called for alternatives to traditional burials amid shrinking capacity at cemeteries.

Cemeteries out of space
In 2018, then City of Johannesburg MMC for community development, Nonhlanhla Sifumba, warned that of the 32 cemeteries across the city, only four had not yet reached full capacity.

More recently, in November last year, the City of Cape Town released a statement encouraging residents to seek alternatives to burials. The statement said that of the city’s 40 cemeteries, only 17 of them are still operational. “Of the 17 cemeteries still being used, only six have a significant amount of burial space left.”

Last month, the City of eThekwini announced that, because of shrinking burial space, it would reuse all unclaimed graves. The city has 65 cemeteries, but only nine of them still have burial space.

Dass said tackling the country’s grave shortage now “means dealing with a problem that will persist after the infection”.

“After we’ve managed to control the spread of the infection then we will still have these challenges that we face on a daily basis,” he said.

“We will still have populations that grow … And we will also have to figure out how we deal with death. Those problems will always be there.”

Source: https://mg.co.za/article/2020-04-14-the-covid-19-burial-problem-for-south-africa/

Cape Town – The South African Cemeteries Association (SACA) has urged municipalities to plan ahead as even without the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, South African cities are facing the challenge of disposing of their remains, whether through burial or cremation of loved ones.

“Municipalities need to identify available graves in advance. If it is logistically impossible to bury huge numbers in single graves, then communal or mass graves must be prepared,” SACA warned.

The rate of Covid-19 infections seems to have remained steady during the lockdown period. However, city officials in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are already preparing for the worst.

These three cities are the most adversely affected by Covid-19, with a high rate of infections and several deaths.

Since South Africa’s Covid-19 death count climbed to 27 as of April 14, municipalities have been planning emergency cemeteries and considering the idea of mass burials if the death count rises even further.

A member of the Cape Town mayoral committee for community services and education, Zahid Badroodien, said several emergency steps had been discussed, including mass graves.

According to Badroodien, there is an ongoing process to allocate funds to cemeteries that could be extended, specifically for Covid-19 burials. In addition, if the death toll shoots up, the city will enforce weekday funeral time slots to accommodate demand.

Durban municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the city had chosen a versatile strategy, including recycling graves in 66 cemeteries, while looking to expand their existing boundaries.

In Johannesburg, Margaret Arnolds, a member of the mayoral committee, said the cemeteries and crematoria were ready for the looming threat of an increase in demand for mass burials due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arnolds says the city’s three crematoria are capable of handling 41 people maximum a day, should the demand rise.

Source: https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/cities-urged-to-prepare-mass-graves-as-sas-covid-19-death-count-rises-46692075

By Sakhiseni Nxumalo

Durban – Municipalities have been urged to prepare for a possible increase in cremations and burials due to the impact of Covid-19.

The SA Cemeteries Association (Saca) said socio-economic conditions posed an incredible challenge in containing the spread of infection.

It added that with a high infection rate, the death rate was expected to climb.

Currently, the country has recorded at least 13 Covid-19 deaths, with ­KwaZulu-Natal accounting for seven.

It said that in anticipation of the increase in the death rate, municipalities were encouraged to put plans in place.

The association said weekday bookings would also have to be prioritised to avoid congestion at the weekends.

Documentation from undertakers should be scanned and emailed with proof of payment at least 24 hours before a burial or cremation and funerals should be limited to 30 minutes.

“Burial bookings will only be accommodated between 10am and 3.30pm for both weekdays and weekends. Cemeteries must be manned for burials with only the minimum staff required for excavation as determined by the number of burials for the day. We recommend two staff for a burial,” the association said in a statement.

According to Islamic Burial Chairperson, Salim Kazi, said not much had changed regarding Muslim burials in light of Covid-19. 

“We follow the guidelines as set out by the National Health Plan. Usually we collect the body, we then wash the body and shroud it before the person is buried. With the Covid-19 regulations, we are required to collect the body in a body bag and bury the person in the body bag. However, we still perform the usual burial rites by washing and shrouding the body. We then lay the body into a box-like structure and the person is buried,” Kazi said. 

He said the new regulations did not complicate the burial rites in any way. 

Source: https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/strict-burial-cremation-rules-for-undertakers-46481746