City’s Social Burial Policy set to undergo major changes
20 November 2015
Astakeholder meeting reviewing the City of Johannesburg’s Social Burial Policy on Thursday November 19 agreed with a new proposal that the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development be authorised to donate up to R10 000 to poor families whose members die in tragic circumstances, including accidents and shack fires.
The proposal was first tabled at a stakeholder meeting at the Protea Glen Multipurpose Centre in Soweto, Region D, in August 2015. If carried forward, it will become a new addition to the current social burial policy.
Thursday’s meeting was attended by councillors, undertakers, community leaders, members of non-governmental organisations and other service providers. The City’s Social Burial Policy was first put in place in 2005 to lessen the pain of indigent families in Johannesburg. This is the second five-year review of the policy. The first was in 2010 when maximum burial benefits for the indigent were set at R2 500.
The new proposals, if approved by council, will also see burial cover increase from R1 640 to R1 742 for stillbirths, from R1 832 to R2 028 for children under the age of five years and from R2 219 to R2 442 for children aged between five and 12.
The proposals will also see the cost of burying an adult increase from the current R2 500 to R3 848.
Other proposed changes include:
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The waiver of documentation in cases where the deceased has no proof of South African ID. Instead, two people – including a relative, neighbour or friend of the deceased – will be required to produce their IDs; and
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An affidavit could be provided to enable the undertaker to apply for a death certificate on behalf of the family.
The current social burial package covers the cost of registering the death, storage of the body, coffin, grave and transport. Social workers assess the needs of the family, which includes proof that the applicant earns less than R4 873 a month.
Under the new proposal, this threshold will increase to R5 005, according to Alleta Mzimela, the Head of the City’s Social Benefits Unit. She said foreigners, refugees and asylum seekers also qualified for social burial benefits.
At Thursday’s meeting, the stakeholders called on undertakers to also assist indigent families in times of need as part of their social responsibility, instead of waiting to be awarded a tender to conduct the funeral.
Community members also suggested that the new policy provides for a bus to take mourners to the cemetery and for bodies to be brought home for night vigils.
“Night vigils are important for families. This is about bringing dignity to our people, especially the poorest of the poor. As a caring city, we have a responsibility to treat our citizens with dignity,” said Councillor Matlhomola Kekana of Ward 21.
Once communities in all seven regions have been consulted, a draft report will be presented to a full council meeting. Only after the council has debated, agreed and endorsed the proposed changes will the new policy be implemented. Mzimela said the review was necessary to keep up with rising costs and growing demand from poor families.
About 250 families benefited from the scheme every year between 2005 and 2010 from an annual budget of just over R2.3-million. Most of the deaths were HIV-AIDS-related. Last year, R1.2-million was budgeted for such deaths. About 92 families – from 105 applications – benefited.