By Jarryd Westerdale at The Citizen
- Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo will suspend municipal burial and cremation services on 3 and 6 April due to the Easter holiday break, and has urged the public to submit requests before 3 April.
- Muslim burials will still be accommodated through Islamic burial societies, while all cemeteries will remain open to visitors during the Easter weekend.
- Residents are reminded to follow safety and conduct rules at cemeteries and parks, including staying alert, respecting the space, and securing personal belongings.
Johannesburg residents are being warned that burials and cremations will not be available at municipal facilities in early April.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) confirmed on Wednesday that staff would be on holiday during the long Easter weekend.
While Catholic and Jewish communities do not hold funeral services on certain days during the holy week, the Muslim community will still have access to municipal cemeteries over Easter weekend.
Easter burial break
JCPZ said the temporary suspension of burial and cremation services on 3 and 6 April would be to allow staff a short break.
The entity asked that members of the public and funeral directors submit all necessary requests before 3 April.
“As you will appreciate, our dedicated teams work continuously throughout the week, including weekends, to ensure the dignified and efficient provision of cemetery and crematorium services across the City of Johannesburg.
“This short break provides staff with a much-needed and well-earned opportunity to rest and spend time with their families after sustained periods of service delivery,” JCPZ stated.
Muslim burials are managed by various Islamic burial societies, and JPCZ confirmed these would continue to be accommodated “in line with religious requirements for timely interment”.
All cemeteries will remain open throughout the Easter weekend, with standard visiting hours applicable.
JCPZ park rules and regulations
JCPZ reminded visitors to cemeteries and all JCPZ sites of the etiquette expected at municipal facilities.
The entity said all measures were taken to ensure visitor safety, but asked that these points be adhered to.
When at cemeteries or parks, do:
- Adhere to signage in the parks
- Always stay alert
- Always walk with someone
- Keep handbags, wallets, devices and jewellery secure
- Report any wrongdoing at the facility
- Respect your local surroundings
Visitors must not:
- Feed animals
- Break plants, trees or facility infrastructure
- Start a fire in a restricted area
- Take their dogs off their leashes
- Be disrespectful towards other visitors
- Do not leave items in vehicles that can be viewed by passersby.
This article was republished from The Citizen. Read the original here.
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