Covid-19 victims supposed to be buried fast but even cremations taking weeks

There is a backlog of burials at several cemeteries and even cremations can take weeks, the National Funeral Directors’ Association (NFDA) of Southern Africa says, as bureaucracy and logistics falter from the unprecedented load and unique challenges that come with Covid-19 deaths.

A big spike in fatalities during SA’s second wave of the pandemic has put huge strain on the funeral industry, but operators say they would be able to cope if the government, Home Affairs specifically, could be more prompt with the required paperwork.

South Africa’s coronavirus rules call for fast burials, or preferably cremation, for those who die of Covid-19.

Government unwittingly contributing to delays

Under regulations in place since mid-2020, mortuaries have been directed to keep the bodies of those who die from Covid-19 for only three days.

Such was government’s fear of infections due to overcrowded mortuaries, it threatened to “intervene” if remains were left uncollected.

SA flower industry battling to meet soaring demand as funerals surge

But the Department of Home Affairs is not able to process death certificates to comply fast enough, say funeral homes, in part because of understaffing and offices closed due to the coronavirus. 

In addition, not all undertakers are approved to register deaths on behalf of a family, says Lawrence Konyana, deputy president of the NFDA. 

“Most of them require that you bring a relative with or a next of kin and you find that that the next of kin is someone who was living with the deceased, who’s supposed to be quarantining.”

Because of unregistered deaths, claims can not be lodged against funeral policies which causes further delays, especially at a time when families have money trouble.

“They are really taking a strain and it’s one of the reasons that people are not burying fast enough as well.”

Three-week delays

The bureaucracy in tandem with high death volumes mean that some cremations are now being delayed for as long as three weeks, Konyana pointed out.

Mike Collinge, owner of Johannesburg-based Collinge and Co. Funeral Directors, said the funeral home has had about 80% more burials this month than it would expect in a normal January.

While they were not experiencing major delays, the parlour has had to cancel leave to deal with the influx of deaths.

Since the first wave of Covid-19 deaths his parlour had installed extra cold storage, he says. 

Also thesouthafrican.com: Level 3: Home Affairs suspend marriage, ID application services

Home Affairs this week extended its operating hours to accommodate for death and birth registrations, while suspending most other services, including marriages and ID applications. 

“We are doing so to enable funeral parlours and families to bury their loved ones within the requisite period for Covid-19 deaths,” the department said.