Sir Lowry's Pass cemetery extended with more than 500 burial spaces

06 January 2025

The City’s Recreation and Parks Department has officially opened an extension at Sir Lowry’s Pass Cemetery, providing 544 additional burial spaces. This new section became operational last month.

Planning for this extension at Sir Lowry’s Pass cemetery began in August 2022 to address the need for burial spaces across the metropole, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The project overcame several challenges including securing land-use approval in November 2023 and addressing environmental conditions, such as the removal of aging stone pine trees (Pinus Pinea) to accommodate the additional burial spaces.

To maximise capacity in the new extension, the burial spaces have been designed as berm graves, allowing only vertical headstones or scrolls. This efficient layout ensures optimal use of available space, while maintaining a dignified community environment.

Previously, the cemetery primarily facilitated the reopening of private family graves.

The extension allows for new burials; however, to ensure operations run smoothly, the Recreation and Parks Department has limited burials in this section to three per day.

The City remains committed to addressing burial space challenges. Other projects, such as the Kuils River cemetery expansion, are currently under way, with environmental authorisation granted in December 2024 and the land use application currently in progress.

‘The opening of the extension at Sir Lowry’s Pass cemetery is an important step towards addressing the area’s burial space challenges. The City remains committed to finding sustainable solutions by providing dignified and accessible burial options. We would like to encourage residents to plan ahead with their undertakers and consider weekday burials to reduce possible backlogs on applications for weekend bookings’,  said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

Residents are reminded that bookings for burials in the new section must adhere to standard procedures and comply with the City’s regulations for berm grave designs.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office