An eco-friendly place of rest with an affordable price tag
A LONE grave stands at the Calgro M3 private memorial park at Nasrec. Around it are water features, walkways and parkland trees, and it is protected by roaming guards 24 hours a day, hi-tech security beams and closed-circuit TV system surveillance, all powered independently of Eskom.
The single grave will have a tamper-detection device on its tombstone for safeguarding against vandalism. The pile of soil marks the first burial that took place at the memorial park last week, a month after its launch. “After the burial numerous other sites were bought. We have engaged with most of the local funeral directors and there is a clear interest in the project,” says Calgro M3’s chief financial officer, Wikus Lategan.
Located just off the Nasrec off-ramp on the western bypass, the R75 million project has enough power to light a stadium, says Lategan.
The park generates renewable energy, with solar farms and generator back-up.
Lategan says they want to make the park affordable for everyone. People can buy a burial site from R5 000 or take out a policy. Calgro M3 has partnered with Hollard Insurance, which ensures the right to a burial at the park for R299 a month.
“The memorial park is not for the elite. The cover is keenly priced… a full package provides family funeral cover valued at R30 000 for each person (member, partner, two grandparents and five children), a R7 500 tombstone payment, a burial support plan and an after-burial support plan.”
The park is able to accommodate 25 000 graves, with expansion for a further 14 500.