Johannesburg gets 1500 new burial sites

By Levy Masiteng

In an effort to address the growing demand for burial space in Johannesburg, the Hamberg Cemetery in Roodepoort reopened its gates on Thursday. 

The historic cemetery has been thoroughly assessed and revitalised to accommodate approximately 1500 burial sites and reopenings, according to Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JPCZ), which is the custodian of cemeteries in the city.

It said the decision to reactivate the cemetery was part of its broader plan to manage Johannesburg’s burial needs with foresight and respect. 

JCPZ said 38 out of 42 cemeteries have reached full capacity.

A key feature of the cemetery is a maximum of five burials or reopenings a day, with staggered services to avoid congestion.

It will adopt the Westpark tariff structure from next month, with prices starting at R3764 for adult burials and R1800 for child burials.

“This plan focuses on addressing immediate burial needs, while ensuring that