HARARE - At a time when most people can afford the basic essentials, the cost of burying the dead remains out of reach for the residents of Marondera. Bereaved families here seek assistance from the Social Welfare in form of free graves and transport, or they bury their dead on surrounding farms or due to prohibitive funeral costs in town.
The municipality here charges US$50 for an adult’s grave at Hunyani Cemeteries. This amount is well beyond the reach of the majority of villagers.
Non availability of industry here has made life difficult for residents. On average I assist four families every month to secure free graves, transport and other facilities from Social Welfare, said MDC-T Councillor for ward three, Johannes Razunguzwa. Desperate families approach my offices for assistance in cash and kind when one of them passes away. Their situation would be so desperate that they would not afford even food for mourners. I write letters of appeal to Council Welfare offices for provision of free requirements.
He added that since bereaved families could also not afford a coffin, he negotiates the provision of free coffins with local carpenters.
Unfortunately, Social Welfare facilities and council funeral resources are over subscribed by well to do families, taking advantage of the generosity extended to the poor by the council. Rich families have approached me seeking Welfare assistance in this regard. Recently, my offices assisted a departed close relative of two local prominent musicians with a free grave and transport, when some family members claimed they could not afford funeral costs. This was sheer selfishness on the part of the musicians who are crowd pullers at their live shows, said the councillor.
An official with the social welfare department of the municipality said they provided more than eight free graves to the poor every month.
The plight of bereaved families was compounded by the collapse of burial societies following the introduction of multi-currencies. People who formed the societies can no longer afford monthly subscriptions in foreign currency.
In rural areas, poor families bury the dead without coffins or improvise makeshift coffins out of destroyed woodwork such as wardrobe and kitchen units. Should the economy fail to improve for the poor, funerals will remain a challenge for locals.
Post published in: Politics