The Mobeni Heights Crematorium has not been operational for months.
Image: Leon Lestrade
FRUSTRATED community leaders and grieving families are demanding urgent action from the eThekwini Municipality to repair the non-operational Mobeni Heights Crematorium, which has caused financial and emotional distress for many.
They said for months the furnaces at the crematorium have not been working, resulting in families having to incur more costs for private cremations.
In 2021, the city installed a state-of-the-art furnace from the US worth R3.5 million.
Last week, Visvin Reddy, an uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party member of parliament, wrote to Velenkosini Hlabisa, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), calling for urgent intervention at the Mobeni Heights and Tongaat crematoriums.
“These facilities, built and managed by the eThekwini Municipality, have been non-operational for years, subjecting grieving families to unnecessary hardship. The community is outraged at the municipality’s continued neglect of this matter, and an urgent intervention is required.”
Reddy, who is also a member of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said the crematoriums served a critical purpose, particularly in light of the severe shortage of burial sites.
“The broken crematoriums are not just an inconvenience, it is a crisis that disproportionately affects the poor, forcing families to turn to private crematoriums that charge exorbitant fees, making dignified farewells financially impossible for many,” said Reddy.
“Despite repeated calls for intervention, the municipality has failed for years to restore these facilities to working order. Given the cultural importance of cremation within the Indian community, there is growing sentiment that this neglect is deliberate, targeting a specific cultural and religious group.
“Reports indicate that the construction and maintenance of these crematoriums have been plagued by irregular procurement practices, including the appointment of international companies with no after-sales backup. Allegations suggest municipal officials have financially benefited from furnace breakdowns, creating a cycle of deliberate failure for personal gain."
He added that private crematoriums managed their facilities with minimal disruptions.
“Proving that proper management and maintenance are not insurmountable challenges. Rather it is municipal mismanagement that is to blame.”
Reddy also demanded for an urgent investigation into the failure of the municipality to repair and maintain these crematoriums, including a forensic audit of financial mismanagement.
“There needs to be accountability for those responsible for these facilities. A clear, time-bound action plan for the full restoration of services at Mobeni Heights and Tongaat crematoriums with strict oversight to ensure compliance is needed. This matter is not just about infrastructure, it is about human dignity. The families affected by this crisis deserve respect and fairness,” he said.
Dr Paul Lutchman, founder of the Christian Revival Centre in Chatsworth, said the Mobeni Heights Crematorium was in a state of neglect.
“It is an absolute disgrace that the municipality has allowed this crisis to persist. There are two furnaces and right now neither of them are working. However, this is not a new problem. This facility has been plagued by breakdowns for years, with temporary fixes that never last. Each time, grieving families are told to wait while bureaucrats shuffle papers, yet nothing ever changes.”
Lutchman said the emotional and financial toll on families were devastating.
“Funerals are being delayed by several days, forcing grieving relatives to scramble for alternative arrangements. In some cases, families have had to transport their loved ones as far as Verulam, incurring additional costs and emotional distress. This is unacceptable.”
Lutchman said a permanent solution was to open a private crematorium in Chatsworth.
“I had offered land for the construction of a private crematorium. We need a community-driven solution, not a municipal disaster that breaks down every few months. A privately managed crematorium will ensure continuous service, proper maintenance, and dignity for the deceased and their families. We cannot allow the municipality’s failures to hold us hostage any longer.”
Niel Patchapen, an African Democratic Change (ADeC) councillor in Chatsworth, said: “Given the ongoing mismanagement and failing infrastructure, I believe the facility should be privatised. A private entity would have the resources, expertise, and accountability to ensure the crematorium operates efficiently and remains in good working condition."
Clive Moodley, deputy president of the Progressive Funeral Practitioners Association of South Africa and owner of Pinetown Funeral Services, said: “We have lost hope in the municipality ever fixing the crematorium. They fix it, and then a few days later we are back at square one. But we are willing to join this fight again as we are seeing too many families being impacted. We are also saying either fix the crematorium or privatise it. Let us show the municipality how it should be done.”
Dhayalan Moodley, owner of Moodley's Funeral Services, said it was “outrageous and disappointing” to see the disregard for the concerns of citizens.
“This has caused immense suffering and hardship for the people of Chatsworth, particularly the poor and marginalised. The crematorium’s closure has denied our community the basic dignity of being able to bid farewell to their loved ones in a respectful and timely manner. Families are being forced to travel long distances, incurring significant expenses to access alternative cremation facilities.
“Despite numerous promises and assurances, the municipality has failed to take concrete action to repair and reopen the crematorium,” he said.
The eThekwini Municipality did not comment at the time of publication.
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