Don’t spend more than 1 hour burying your loved ones: Bulawayo residents told after clashes at cemetery
Bulawayo residents have been told not to spend more than an hour burying their loved ones at cemeteries after clashes broke out over delayed burials.
‘Burials should not exceed one hour’
Speaking through the city’s latest MasiyePhambili weekly newsletter, Chamber Secretary Mrs Sikhangele Zhou said families should stick to the allocated time slots.
She explained:
“The Chamber Secretary explained that families were expected to adhere to booked times for burial. It was prudent for families to adhere to booked times for burial. On average, a burial must not exceed one hour at the cemetery. Most of the speeches should be done during church services.”
The announcement comes after complaints that some funeral parlours were harassing mourners when one group delayed concluding its burial rites, affecting the next scheduled funeral.
Director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Mzingwane, confirmed that there was consensus among councillors and management on the need to enforce burial timeframes.
Councillors raise concerns
Ward 10 Councillor, Khalazani Ndlovu, said clashes at cemeteries had become common because of delays.
She stated:
“Residents should be encouraged to start burial programmes very early to accommodate all the speakers and the last rites that families would love to give to their deceased relatives. Clash of times at the cemeteries should be avoided.”
Councillor Royini Sekete also warned that some burials were being rushed, urging that ceremonies begin earlier in the day.
Bulawayo by-laws prohibit any burials after 1PM.
Council statistics on burials
The Chronicle reports that according to figures released by the local authority, 480 burials were conducted across eight cemeteries in Bulawayo in June 2025. In the same month, five cremations were carried out.
The council reported that Luveve Extension Cemetery recorded the highest number of burials at 249. Umvutshwa Cemetery followed with 136 burials, while Luveve Old had 74.
Other cemeteries recorded lower figures, with Athlone having six burials, Luveve Number 3 four, and West Park nine. Lady Stanley and Hyde Park cemeteries each recorded just a single burial in June.
The city is now urging strict adherence to the one-hour limit to prevent clashes and congestion at cemeteries.
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The post ‘Burials Should Not Exceed One Hour’: Bulawayo Residents Told After Clashes At Cemetery appeared first on iHarare News.
