By Lee-Yandra Paulsen

Mowbray Makbara, a cherished burial ground in Cape Town, has announced revisions to its weekly grave costs, effective April 1, 2024. While weekend grave fees will remain stable, weekday rates will see an increase. This decision, as articulated in a recent statement from the cemetery management, is attributed to escalating operational expenses and inflationary pressures.

In an interview with VOC Breakfast on Friday, Faizal Sayed, Chairman of the Moslem Cemetery Board and Secretary of the Burial Administration of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) provided deeper insights into the rationale behind the adjustments.

Sayed emphasized the continued engagement of the community in various development projects. He highlighted the establishment of prayer facilities, ongoing landscaping endeavours, a tree-planting campaign, and enhanced security measures including the deployment of Mowbray Guard personnel to safeguard the cemetery and its surroundings.

Speaking on the pricing adjustments, Sayed remarked, “Mowbray Makbara in particular has not raised its prices for approximately in five years. As you know everything has gone up in the last five years the only people that did not raise their prices was Mowbray cemetery, but this is due to inflation.”

Sayed clarified that the primary change in pricing was the adjustment of private grave costs, which rose from R2,100 to R2,500. Despite this increase, Mowbray Makbara remains one of the most affordable options.

Explaining the distinctions between municipal and private cemeteries, Sayed emphasized that municipal cemeteries, managed by the City of Cape Town, have their expenses covered by the city administration. “Private cemeteries to not owned by the City. On the flip side, Private cemeteries pay to remove the access waste on their own, they pay for their staff and anything that does go wrong within the cemetery is paid by the private cemetery,” said Sayed.

Sayed underscored the competitive pricing offered by Mowbray Makbara, highlighting a significant disparity in costs compared to municipal facilities. For instance, the price comparison for an adult grave on the weekend stands at R3,800 for municipal cemeteries, while Mowbray Makbara offers the same service for R2,500.

Looking ahead, Sayed outlined several upcoming initiatives at Mowbray Makbara, including community clean-up drives and plans for the construction of a Muslim mortuary, a pioneering effort in this part of the world. He stressed the importance of protecting Muslim bodies and highlighted the ongoing tree-planting campaign as part of the cemetery’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

VOC News