Repairs to Mobeni Heights and Tongaat crematoriums to be fast-tracked
ETHEKWINI Mayor Cyril Xaba conducted a site visit to the Mobeni Heights Crematorium yesterday (Tuesday) to address the challenges plaguing the facility, and vowed to accelerate the repairs.
On May 12, the crematorium was shut-down after the municipality had failed to renew the Air Emission Licence (AEL).
At the time, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the closure of the crematorium was based on the poor performance of the furnace due to the control unit malfunctioning.
This impacted on the facility's ability to cremate within the parameters of the AEL, and the closure was enforced despite the AEL being valid until January 31, 2026. The high emissions posed an environmental health risk to the surrounding community.
Xaba said to remedy the situation, the municipality has started the process of procuring two furnaces which would be installed by the end of August.
He called for patience from the affected communities and vowed to monitor the repairs closely to ensure that the facility was back to its full operations.
'The municipality has allocated R14 million to repair the furnaces at the Mobeni Heights Crematorium and to give the entire facility a facelift,' he added.
Sisilana said the upgrade of the crematorium was funded in the 2025/2026 financial year and would focus on the replacement of the furnace and a building upgrade of the 'pyramid' portion of the facility.
'Any changes would require permission from the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) and final approval by other role players,' she added.
The crematorium has two furnaces, both of which are not operational.
The upgrade would replace the oldest furnace with a locally manufactured and maintained unit. The new unit will comply with the latest legislation required to operate a crematorium.
The second furnace that was commissioned in 2021 will undergo a refurbishment, including the control unit to latest industrial standards and norms to be fully compliant with all legislative requirements.
Xaba said processes to repair the Tongaat Crematorium were also at an advanced stage as the municipality had reprioritized R7 million for the replacement of furnaces.
'We anticipate completing the work at the Tongaat Crematorium by the end of next month. While repairs are ongoing at these facilities, the municipality urges residents to use nearby crematoria,' Xaba added.
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