/ 31 October 2006

Harare cemeteries running out of space

Cemeteries in the Zimbabwean capital Harare are almost full and it is getting increasingly difficult to find space to bury people, it was reported on Tuesday.

The Harare city council has six cemeteries — Warren Hills, Pioneer, Mabvuku, Greendale and Granville A and B — but two are no longer accepting burials and the remaining four are up to 75% full, the state-controlled Herald newspaper reported, quoting an annual report by the Department of Housing and Community Services.

Current high rates of mortality are being blamed on the HIV/Aids pandemic, which kills an estimated 3 000 Zimbabweans a week. Health experts have warned that Zimbabwe’s economic crunch is worsening mortality rates because people living with HIV/Aids often cannot afford to buy nutritious food or pay for hospital treatment.

The city authorities are trying to open up new land for cemeteries and persuade locals to consider cremation.

”Given the shortages of land for burials, the Department of Housing and Community Services was considering the issue of cremation as an alternative and a national debate would be initiated on the issue,” the report said.

Cremation is not a popular option with Zimbabweans, who regard the place of burial as being of utmost importance. And the crematorium in Harare is facing viability problems because of coal shortages. Corpses, mostly of European descent, were this month being ferried from Harare to the eastern city of Mutare where the crematorium is reportedly wood-fired.

The report said Harare city cemeteries would run out of space within a year. – Sapa-DPA