Brixton Cemetery

RELATED LINKS: City Parks solves grave problem Johannesburg has set aside a large amount of money to make more burial space available in the city for at least the next 30 years. Read more Residents urged to consider other forms of burial As Joburg gradually runs out of burial space City Parks, the council utility responsible for developing and maintaining open spaces in the city, has called on city residents to explore alternative ways of burying the dead. Read more Avalon's thousands of graveside cots There aren't many places in the world where you end up in a cot when you're dead and buried. But in Avalon Cemetery in Soweto there are thousands of cots demarcating graves. Read more

New cemetery to open in Midrand TO cope with ever-diminishing space, Johannesburg City Parks is to open a new cemetery in Midrand - the first of three to be developed in 2005. January 25, 2005 By Anish Abraham JOHANNESBURG City Parks is set to open a cemetery in Midrand - one of three new cemeteries being developed to address the lack of burial space amid Johannesburg's urban sprawl. "Land has been set aside off the Allendale turnoff in an area known as Waterval," says Johannesburg City Parks spokesperson, Jenny Moodley. Although the Midrand cemetery has been completed, Johannesburg City Parks plans to hold a cleansing ceremony before making the space available to the public for burials. Some R23-million was set aside to create space for the city to cater for burials over the next 30 years. Two other cemeteries are to be opened - in Diepsloot, in the north of the city, and Riverlea, in the south west of Johannesburg - later in 2005. Currently, the total available burial space in Johannesburg is 397,1 hectares, with a burial capacity for 669 550 graves, according to Johannesburg City Parks, the utility that oversees burial grounds. "Of 34 cemeteries within the city, 27 have reached capacity," says Moodley, adding that the remaining ones will only last until the end of the decade. The utility has constructed a "Wall of Remembrance" at two of its crematoria, in Brixton and Lenasia, where relatives can place the ashes of their loved ones. But, says Moodley, this is not a popular option as there is still a reticence surrounding cremations. In order to combat the rapidly increasing need for burial space, Johannesburg City Parks is on a drive to educate citizens about all options, including cremation and second burials - where families use the same burial space, placing one coffin on top of another. Many communities do not approve of cremation for cultural or religious reasons, while the preference for single burials also plays an important role impacting on available space, says Moodley. Only seven cemeteries are open for first burials across the city: Avalon in Soweto, Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Elandsfontein, New Roodepoort, West Park in Emmarentia - and the soon to be opened one in Midrand. Several new areas for burial are also under consideration, Moodley adds, with Johannesburg City Parks planning to develop regional cemeteries to serve the southern and western parts of the city over the next five years. For more information contact Johannesburg City Parks on 011 712 6600. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za