Funeral parlours and crematoriums struggling to cope

Funeral parlours in Gauteng are are overwhelmed, barely coping with the volume of deaths as the Covid-19 pandemic’s third wave rages through the province, with undertakers saying there were 60% more deaths compared to the first and second wave.

With extremely busy and exhausted doctors delaying in signing off death certificates, the dead are waiting on the living as bodies take longer than the three days required to be cleared for burial or cremation.

Although burial sites are seemingly coping, there has been chaos at crematoriums as Covid-19 deaths take their toll and some funeral service providers have had to bring in extra staff and increase vehicle fleets.

As much as the death industry was better equipped due to the first and second wave, Eddie Olivier, general manager at Grobbelaars Funeral Services, said nothing could have prepared them for the third wave onslaught.

“We have not reached the peak yet.

“The scariest part is that the public could not care less. They still socialise and walk around with masks hanging on their chins. The staff are overworked and emotionally drained,” he said.

“The crematoriums have reached capacity and delays in cremations are the order of the day.

“Another challenge is the delay in obtaining death certificates from doctors. Without the certificate, we are not able to bury or cremate the deceased.”.

Grobbelaars have employed technology to conduct funerals, with arrangements made virtually and services streamed live.

Mike Collinge, of Collinge and Co Funeral Directors, said they knew what to expect during the third wave but said the deaths had surpassed expectations.

“We are not coping. We are swamped at the moment. We have had to work day and night, get in extra staff and vehicles.

“Last July was the busiest month in 40 years. This June we have had an influx. We are told the third wave is more infectious with fewer deaths, but we have had a huge increase in deaths,” he said.

Thom Kight & Co funerals services’ Neil Keight said the Brixton crematorium had four burners but only two worked due to lack of maintenance.

He said it takes up to 12 months for one to build a private crematorium and get it approved.

“The system is skewed towards burials because the majority of the population go for burials. There is no development in terms of crematoriums,” Keight said.

But for Peter Thage, owner of 4 U Tombstones and Funerals in Ekurhuleni, the first wave was worse and there was a time when all 15 of their fridges were full.

“I have not reached that point yet so we are managing well, having learnt a lot from the first and second waves,” he said.