Windhoek's cemeteries reaching capacity
Three already closed
Three of Windhoek's cemeteries have reached their capacity.This was announced on Thursday by the City of Windhoek during an event for stakeholders to review the City's Strategic Plan 2022-2027 and the council's annual performance report for the previous financial year.
The comprehensive report revealed that there is no remaining space in these cemeteries.
Specific reservations include 43 graves at the Old Location cemetery, seven at the Katutura cemetery and a 190 graves at the Khomasdal cemetery which means the cemeteries will be officially closed.
In response to the growing crises of space in cemeteries, the City of Windhoek has shifted focus to cremation as a viable alternative.
In the 2022-23 financial year, the City performed 522 cremations. The chief executive officer of the City of Windhoek, Moses Matyayi, urged the community to seriously consider cremation given the current restrictions.
"Our cemeteries have reached their capacity and we need to explore alternative burial options while we work on developing new sites," said Matyayi.
He also announced plans to set up a new cemetery in Rocky Crest to address the ongoing issue.
Other cemeteries
The report highlighted the current status of the remaining municipal cemeteries. Gammams, Groot Aub and Oponganda cemeteries are more than 50% full, with respectively 1 250 533 and 1 200 graves still available. Of these, 1 046 graves at Gammams, 8 at Oponganda and 53 at Groot Aub have already been reserved.
Windhoek's urban population growth is increasing drastically with the influx of around 12 000 residents who move to the city every year. This pushed the population to more than 486 000, which speaks to the urgent need for viable alternatives.
The City of Windhoek's Strategic Plan 2022-2027 aims to tackle these capacity issues through the development of new cemeteries and the promotion of cremation.
Matyayi emphasised the importance of proactive measures to ensure that the City of Windhoek can effectively manage its funeral needs.
"Planning for the future is crucial. We are committed to providing dignified and respectful burial options for our community, but we must adapt to our current limitations and plan accordingly," said Matyayi.