Stegman Road Cemetery reopens
18 February 2021
After being closed by the Apartheid government, the City of Cape Town and Muslim Judicial Council leadership have joined hands to reopen the cemetery which is privately owned and has been dormant for years.
‘Over the last few months, the City has engaged with the relevant authorities to assist the MJC and the Stegman Road Cemetery Board as the property owner, to acquire the necessary authority to use the cemetery. Burials will take place here once again for the first time in nearly a century. This outcome seeks to rectify past injustices and to begin the healing process of wounds in a community forcefully removed from their homes. Redressing the pains of our past reality and connecting communities to their roots is a step in the right direction for us as a city,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
The first burial at the Al Jaamia Mosque Cemetery in Stegman Road took place in 1868 and was closed due to the displacement of the community by the apartheid government.
‘The MJC notes that there was a fruitful meeting with all the role players around the Stegman Road Cemetery and what was highlighted was that all the impediments that were initially there preventing the opening of the Cemetery have now been resolved. The City supporting the reopening is met with joy and gratitude to all involved. There is now some work on the table from an operational perspective and the community will be informed as the information becomes available,’ said Sheigh Riad Fataar, Deputy President of the MJC.
A few weeks ago, the City announced it was working closely with the MJC to increase burial capacity at City cemeteries for Muslim burials.
City cemeteries accommodate approximately 150 Muslim burials per month.
The City respects all residents’ religious rights and therefore works actively with the MJC to ensure Islamic burial rights, particularly in terms of a Muslim’s right to be buried on the same day of death.
City cemeteries with Muslim allotments are Muizenberg, Dido Valley, Ocean View, Klip Road, Maitland, Atlantis, Delft, Wallacedene, Welmoed, Khayelitsha, and Kleinvlei.
COVID-19 has increased the number of janazahs per month, which has caused space to fill up quickly and has led to the City opening up more space for Maitland Cemetery. While Klip Road Cemetery has been the preferred burial site, the Muslim allotment at this site has been exhausted.
In addition, the City has also created a new Muslim burial block at the Maitland Cemetery that can accommodate a further 837 graves.
This in addition to the burial blocks created for all denominations in 2020, as part of the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City is working with the MJC to ensure that burials happen timeously, with dignity and in line with the City's operations.
The MJC has also provided Area Coordinators, who can facilitate the burial documentation after hours when the City's cemetery offices are closed.
The City does not accommodate burials after working hours in general, however special arrangements are made for Muslim burials to be facilitated until sunset, at no extra charge, due to the religious requirement to bury the same day or as soon as possible thereafter.
Enquiries about the City’s Cemeteries can be directed to our Area offices between 07:30 and 16:00, Monday to Friday or via email to Cemetery.Administration@capetown.gov.za.
‘The City’s Recreation and Parks Department remains committed to finding new burial sites and making provision for Muslim Burial space in allotted areas of the City’s Cemeteries. Due to the shortage of environmentally suitable land for cemetery development, it is necessary to densify and reuse existing cemeteries wherever possible to keep up with demand,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
