There needs to be more discussions with death registrars, burial societies and cemetery’s in order to ensure all parties are coordinated and up to speed on new legislation that has been implemented with regards to burial processes, according to Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) 1st deputy president, Sheikh Riyaad Fataar.

A meeting was held at the MJC offices with all relevant role-players in the sector over the past weekend, to highlight new legislation enacted on burial of the deceased, as well as to tackle issues within the process. Amongst those in attendance was the provincial manager of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Yusuf Simons as well as Susan Brice, cemetery coordinator for the City of Cape Town. Representatives from the Department of Health also joined the meeting.

Speaking to VOC, Fataar said the key point of address centred on the need for all paperwork to be acquired prior to the burial. As per the new rules, the City of Cape Town will not allow bodies to be buried unless a death certificate is obtained. These documents are to be acquired from the DHA.

Other issues are that of those who have passed on in the country but do not hold SA citizenship and the long waiting queues for certificates from the department. With regards to the latter, the DHA has confirmed that it will set up a contact desk to try cut down on long waiting times at it’s offices, so long as names of the deceased are forwarded to the MJC.

“Both departments have promised that we will sit down and iron out those kinds of things,” declared Fataar.

As for the new legislation, a workshop is to be scheduled that will bring together death registrars, burial societies and the like to take all parties through the new rules.

A follow-up meeting has also been scheduled for the 7th November, to be held at the MJC offices from 10am onwards. All parties involved in the burial process have again been advised to attend. VOC