The City of Cape Town would like to notify people who intend erecting memorial works on their family grave(s) that it is necessary to first obtain a permit from City Parks.

In recent years numerous memorials have been constructed on graves by families who do not obtain official permits. This has resulted in the grave stones being the incorrect width and their being placed on the incorrect grave in some instances. Adjacent graves are also often encroached on, and when the family applies for a permit to erect memorial works, the illegal encroachment has to be removed.

In order to prevent this from happening, the City will in future take stricter control and remove illegal work where necessary.

Permits can be obtained from City Parks’ booking offices, listed below:

Northern District: 021 550 1052/3
Southern District: 021 710 9437
Central District: 021 929 4561/2
Eastern Cemetery: 021 900 1676/1902/1659

Residents are also reminded of their responsibility to maintain any memorial work they might have on their family grave(s). Family members are urged to visit the grave(s) at least once a year and to take responsibility for any restoration.

Enquiries for re-using graves (to make local burial space available to relatives) can be made at any of the booking offices’ telephone numbers listed above. There is a considerable saving in re-opening a family grave and engraving on an existing memorial, instead of financing a new one.