More than 400 community members are living in informal settlements at Seaview Cemetery in Ward 64, under the eThekwini Municipality.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, said some residents erected shacks directly on top of graves.
Urgent Profiling of Affected Families
Duma said that on Sunday, he instructed the Head of the Department of Human Settlements, Max Mbili, to work with the municipality to expedite the profiling of families living at the cemetery on Coedmore Road.
He reminded residents that the democratic government under Nelson Mandela prioritised housing construction in the area shortly after 1994.
“Priority was given to families who had lived in the area since 1981. It is unfortunate that despite having relocated communities, some came back to the area and others built new informal settlements in the same area,” Duma said.
Past Relocations Ignored
Around 2000, officials relocated families from the cemetery area to new homes in Welbedacht, Chatsworth.
These officials included the late KZN MEC for Housing, Dumisane Makhaye, former MEC for Housing, Mike Mabuyakhulu, former eThekwini Mayor, Obed Mlaba, and Nigel Gumede, former Chair of the Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee.
Duma acknowledged that people migrate to eThekwini in search of socio-economic opportunities due to housing and land shortages, but stressed the need to respect burial grounds.
“Cemeteries are sacred places where the dead must be allowed to rest in peace. We call on communities to respect the departed soul,” he said.
Housing Research and Future Plans
The Department of Human Settlements continues to engage with Ratepayers Associations regarding state-owned land where housing projects face delays.
According to The Citizen, Duma confirmed that the department is conducting comprehensive research into housing needs across four priority groups:
- Households living on privately owned land facing eviction
- Households in rural or informal settlements in disaster-prone areas
- Households living in graveyards, such as Seaview Cemetery
- Farm dwellers
The research will involve institutions such as the Moses Kotane Research Institute, National Home Builders Registration Council, Stats SA, CSIR, and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Agri-Village Programme Piloted
While research continues, the department has identified the Greater Kokstad Local Municipality as the pilot site for the Agri-Village programme.
The initiative, involving the Department of Land Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, aims to improve living conditions for farm dwellers by ensuring access to decent housing, water, electricity, roads, and socio-economic opportunities.
How should authorities balance housing shortages with the need to protect and respect burial grounds?
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