Cape Town: The Maitland Crematorium has undergone R18 million upgrades, including new cremators and has expanded the cold room storage. The facility now operates more efficiently, serving the communities across the Western Cape.
The upgradations of will enhance the City’s ability to meet the growing demand for cremation services.
Maitland Crematorium is one of the busiest facilities in the Western Cape and serves communities as far as Springbok and the West Coast District.
Reportedly, the installation and successful commissioning of the two new cremators that have met Air Emission Standards, marks a major milestone.
Additionally, the expansion of the cold room has increased storage capacity during peak periods, ensuring that the crematorium operates efficiently even during the busiest times.
Other enhancements of the upgradation work include the installation of a hydraulic coffin lift and a state-of-the-art SCADA Electronic Logging System.
The system is directly linked to the cremators, that records essential data such as emission measurements, coffin types, cremation durations, temperatures, and gas usage, ensuring transparency and quality service.
As per the sources, over the last financial year, the City recorded a total of 5, 830 cremations, compared to 6, 104 the previous year.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Patricia Van der Ross said that the slight downturn can be attributed to upgrades that did impact operations somewhat, as well as the repairs that were required to one of the cremators.
Ross also said that by investing in both cremation and burial services, the City is ensuring that we can offer dignified and respectful options for every resident, regardless of their preferences or cultural practices.
It is however a reality that the availability of suitable land for in-ground burials remains in high demand and so we encourage residents to consider cremation where it is not prohibited by culture or religion, stated the Councillor.
Notably, the City’s cemeteries also have been active, handling a total of 13, 777 in-ground burials during the same period, seeing a slight increase from 13, 698 in the previous year.
The Public burials were the most common, with 6, 393 interments, followed by monumental burials at 3, 697 and berm burials at 3, 687.
Apart from cremations and in-ground burials, the City is also noting an increased popularity of niche walls, memorial trees, and benches, reflecting a shift towards more personalised and space-conscious memorials.
Patricia further added to her statement that, ensuring that all burial needs are met with dignity and respect remains a core part of the City’s mission.
“I also want to renew my call to communities at large to help us look after these spaces. Vandalism in our cemeteries remains an ongoing challenge, and it simply cannot be tolerated. The cost of continuous repair and replacement of damaged assets is unsustainable, so I appeal to communities to report any vandalism or theft so that those responsible can be dealt with,” said Van der Ross.