Complaints after parlour found in basement

SALT RIVER residents are up in arms over a funeral parlour that started operating in the basement of the Durnham Square building, saying they had not been consulted and were not comfortable with the arrangement.

The building is also not far from the Salt River mortuary.

Body corporate chairperson Bruce Macdonald said Doves Funerals had been operating from the building for about a month now, initially to their surprise.

“We had no notice, no consultation, no prior discussion. I came across an email from Doves, making reference to the building. Then I asked questions and never got a response until we arranged a meeting. There, it was confirmed that a mortuary would be operating from the basement. The 15-year lease was signed on July 1. They said they had placed an ad in Die Burger and the Argus, and a letter on the wall,” he said.

Macdonald slammed the consultation process as superficial, as he said they were not properly engaged.

“They basically applied the letter of the law, but ignored the spirit of the law – which says people who are affected should have some kind of say. The newspaper ads received one objection.

“Residents are freaked out, with dead bodies in and out of the building, the residents are threatening to move out. Apart from the dead bodies, in the covered parking garage, there are 26 commercial hearse vehicles, driving in and out on an hourly basis, through our parking area. It is a danger and an inconvenience,” said Macdonald.

He said they had sought legal advice and were in the process of approaching the City over an alleged contravention of zoning rights.

Developers, meanwhile, said they had consulted the body corporate.

“The leasing of premises to Doves is a commercial arrangement, on which we see no reason to have to comment to the media.

“The lease was entered into with full disclosure to the Durham Square Body Corporate, through its chairperson and committee members,” Orcinus Properties (Pty) Ltd said.

Doves said they could not comment on the matter.

“We are not at liberty to comment,” the funeral company said.