Durban's cemeteries nearing capacity as population grows
Councillor Daniel Mea highlights the urgent need for improved cemetery planning in Durban
Durban's 65 cemeteries are facing full capacity due to population growth, according to elected official Daniel Mea. In his May 2026 inquiry to the municipality about burial spaces, Mea expressed concern over the diminishing burial space. Statistics SA reported 5.4 million births and 2.7 million deaths between 2022 and 2026, highlighting the increasing demand for burial spaces.
The municipality operates 65 cemeteries, with some nearing or surpassing capacity. While Newlands Cemetery and Ottawa Cemetery are receiving improvements, no clear plans for expanding cemetery infrastructure or providing burial demand estimates have been made. Mea emphasized the importance of proper planning and respecting residents' cultural and religious beliefs when it comes to burials.
If the DA, led by Mea, wins the local government elections in November 2026, they promise to audit all cemeteries, publish accurate statistics, prioritize long-term planning, and allocate funds for additional cemetery space.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
