Westpark Cemetery's impending closure sparks a shift towards cremation in Johannesburg
Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg is expected to reach capacity for new burials by August 2025.
Image: Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo
As the Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg faces imminent closure as it nears full capacity, some African families who previously did not believe in cremation are now seeing it as the way to go.
At least 38 of the 42 cemeteries operated by the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) in Gauteng are at full capacity.
This leaves the City of Gold with the Olifantsvlei Cemetery in the far south of Johannesburg, the Waterval Cemetery in Midrand, the Diepsloot Cemetery in the northern part of Johannesburg, and the Hamberg Cemetery in Roodepoort, which is set to be reactivated in June 2025, after previously being dormant.
The JCPZ has assured residents that there is sufficient burial space to meet the city's needs for the next 30 to 40 years, and this excludes future expansions and the activation of currently dormant cemeteries.
Westpark Cemetery, located in Randburg, will officially close at the end of August 2025, and it has been operational since 1942.
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Debbie Mmusi, a Johannesburg resident, expressed her disappointment with the break-ins at cemeteries and now prepares to build a memorial wall in the backyard of her family home where they will deposit their ashes.
Mmusi said that she had initially wanted to buy four empty tombs at Westpark Cemetery, because she wanted all of her family members to be buried in the same site when they die. However, after seeing the desecration of ash walls at the Braamfontein Cemetery and the vandalism of tombstones in other cemeteries, she asked her family members about their thoughts on cremation, and they all didn't have a problem with it.
At that time, the JCPZ said an investigation found that over 4,000 ash walls, some over 50 years old, were either damaged due to fallen branches or deliberately desecrated and ransacked.
Mmusi said: 'I am going to build a wall of remembrance at the back of the family property; it will have pigeonholes the size of a brick to fit whatever we put the ashes in. Then we will seal it off and put a family name, the names of all the descendants of the family member, and a picture of the deceased loved one. In case we decide to sell the property later, we will move with our ashes.'
She added that putting the ashes in the remembrance wall in the backyard will ensure that the loved ones remain there with dignity, and the wall will be taken care of. Mmusi encouraged other families to consider cremation.
Her deceased loved ones are buried in at least five different cemeteries, she said.
'The thing is, at the cemeteries right now, tombstones are being destroyed, tombstones are left unattended, and people instantly forget where their relatives are buried,' she said.
However, the JCPZ said all cemeteries, including dormant and inactive sites, are supported by dedicated maintenance, security, and administrative teams. 'The JCPZ also collaborates with law enforcement and community safety partners to safeguard these spaces against vandalism and neglect.'
Muzi Hlengwa, spokesperson for the Unification Task Team of the Funeral Industry of South Africa (UTT), said the closure of cemeteries has dire consequences for the undertakers and pushes up the funeral expenses.
'Currently, there is a huge traffic jam at the cemeteries, and tombs are too close together. Even when the undertaker is done with the funeral, they struggle to get out of the cemetery due to the space limitations. You find that instead of spending 30 minutes at the gravesite, you end up staying for three hours because the exit is blocked by traffic from other family funerals. You lose time trying to enter, and also lose time trying to exit the cemetery,' Hlengwa said.
In a normal situation, he said, undertakers could use the same hearse to deliver the body for family A and return and deliver for family B, but now, because of the shortage of space resulting in traffic jams at the cemetery, undertakers cannot double-book the hearse anymore.
'Now, as the undertaking business, we have to have more fleet than we were supposed to. This leads to an increase in funeral expenses. If an undertaker is able to do two funerals with one hearse on the same day, the costs can be split between two families, resulting in lower expenses. Whereas, if it is one hearse for one funeral per day, the cost becomes high,' he said.
Jenny Moodley, spokesperson for the JCPZ, said a comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy is being implemented to address long-term burial space availability.
Interventions include phased out reduction of burials at Westpark Cemetery, reactivation of dormant cemeteries, promotion of alternative burial options, and the development of new cemeteries, she said.
Moodley added that the JCPZ is engaging traditional leaders, interfaith forums, funeral directors, and community organisations to ensure inclusive planning and culturally sensitive solutions. There are also public awareness campaigns and family support services.
'Families affected by the gradual closure of Westpark are being supported by cemetery staff, who assist with referrals to alternative cemeteries and advise on options such as reopening family-held graves for additional burials.
'JCPZ recognises the deeply personal and cultural importance of burial practices. We remain committed to delivering dignified, respectful, and sustainable end-of-life services for all Johannesburg residents. Our goal is to balance current demands with responsible long-term planning for future generations,' she said.
The annual average demand for burial space in Johannesburg currently ranges between 14,000 and 15,000 burials per year.
She said the burials at Westpark are being gradually reduced, with the cemetery expected to reach capacity for new burials by August 2025.
According to her, the JCPZ is exploring unused land in dormant cemeteries such as Hamberg and identifying infill opportunities within other dormant cemeteries, to be developed as funding allows.
'We have seen a growing number of residents, across faiths, opting for cremation or reopening existing graves; practices that promote sustainable use of cemetery land. Additionally, cemeteries such as Avalon, Westpark, and Alexandra are seeing increasing use of family grave reopenings, a positive trend in efficient land use,' Moodley said.
gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za
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