Waterval eases burial shortage

Waterval Cemetery was Joburg’s first new burial space in about a quarter of a century, allowing people in the north to bury their dead closer to home.
THE youngest cemetery in Joburg lies north of the CBD, and is one of two sites that is providing new graves in the city.

The modernThe modern cemetery buildings, surrounded by lush vegetationWaterval Cemetery, which was opened in 2006 on Allandale Road in Midrand, is located on a hillside overlooking Sandton and Fourways. It provides an additional 200 hectares of burial grounds for the Midrand and Alexandra areas.

Following Johannesburg City Parks’ design elements for new cemeteries, Waterval incorporates the natural landscape and indigenous flora and fauna. It has room for 720 000 new burial sites, and is expected to provide burial space for 50 years.

At its launch in 2005, four large trees were planted, symbolising City Parks’ vision to create living green lungs in Joburg.

Waterval is the first cemetery to be built since Soweto’s Avalon Cemetery, which opened in 1972. City Parks says “building of the cemetery included a comprehensive road network; storm water, sewer and irrigation systems; lighting; landscaping and demarcation of grave sites; ablution facilities; fencing; signage and security; and construction of an administrative block”.

The concept at Waterval was to use a natural environment approach, creating a low maintenance facility with waterwise plants, it adds. Only low headstones or base stones are allowed.

A grassed area with a single row of headstones allows for easier maintenance. All the burial facilities, as well as tombstone masons, flower sellers and other services are incorporated in one large onsite office centre.

City Parks also mentions that in time, a heroes’ acre and high profile section will be demarcated.

At its launch, it was reported that 20 hectares would be used as a private cemetery, with a third party responsible for its management. A further 20 hectares would be used for Muslim burials and the remaining land would be developed as a regional municipal cemetery, managed by Johannesburg City Parks.

With available burial space in Joburg declining, City Parks set aside R20-million for the development of new cemeteries, of which the first to open was Waterval.

At the launch, Peter Mokale of the Holiness Church of Christ in Alexandra, said that people would now be able to be buried closer to their homes.

Previously, people had had to find burial space for their loved ones further afield, meaning they had long distances to travel to visit the graves. Another option was to opt for reburials or second burials, where a grave is reopened for another burial.