Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Gweru City Council is banking on grave sales to boost its revenue and is targeting to sell over 1 000 graves by December 31 this year. According to the council’s half-year review report released recently, the sale of graves is the only area where council was “performing well”, with the local authority’s three grave yards having provided over 500 graves so far since the beginning of the year. It costs about $50 to secure a grave with the Gweru City Council but the figure increases when one buys it in advance.

“The city has four cemeteries where burial space is provided,” read part of the report. The cemeteries are Senga, Mkoba, Gweru cemetery (Mtapa) and Central Cemetery. The objective is to avail 1 080 graves by 31 December 2017.” The report notes that the department of graves was the only one bringing the much needed revenue to the cash strapped local authority. So far, the council has sold 540 graves and is expecting to beat the 1 080 target. The council bemoaned a low uptake of graves at its Senga cemetery, which is on rocky ground, which makes it difficult to dig.

“The major challenge is at Senga Cemetery where the surface is rocky, which is making grave digging difficult,” read the report. “Mechanisation of the grave digging process may alleviate the situation.” Residents who spoke to The Herald yesterday said the report looked as if council was celebrating death.

“Giving themselves a target for graves as if they have people’s destiny in their hands is the most shocking part,” fumed Mr Luke Kudita of Mkoba 13. “The report was written as if our local authority wants its residents to die, so that they generate revenue through the sale of graves.” Gweru mayor, Councillor Charles Chikozho said including burial space revenue in the report was a show of transparency on the part of council.

“Its true, no one celebrates death, but what can we do, burial space is not provided for free in cities,” he said. “That money which the council gets through selling of graves needs to be accounted for, hence should be included in the budget.

 

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