GEORGE NEWS - While other race groups in South Africa are starting to embrace cremation as an alternative to being buried, almost all South African blacks still shy away from this option.

Irene Vermeulen, co-owner of the George Crematorium and an undertaker with funeral parlours in George, Knysna and Oudtshoorn, says in all her years in the business she has never come across a black client who requested cremation. "Taking into consideration the cost of a headstone, cremation is defi-nitely the cheaper option, but it is just not part of the African tradition."

Running out of space
In South Africa cemetery space is becoming limited and traditional burials will soon become a thorny issue.
According to a 2005 study by Maake Masango at the University of Pretoria entitled ‘Cremation - A problem to African people’, the church has influenced people to view cremation as a negative way to dispose of the body. "We need to embark on an educational process. We need thorough research so that we have the correct facts. Through dialogue and the education of theo-logical students we can engage the congregation in seminars, dialogue and sermons. We have a long way to go, but we need to start somewhere."

Environmental issues
According to Vermeulen there is no need to worry about adverse environmental factors resulting from cremation. "We have to adhere to very strict legislation and our crematorium chimney emits almost no harmful gasses or smoke. The Eden health and environmental officials pay regular visits to our premises and every three months we have an environmental meeting with the various role-players."

In line with the new air pollution act, a gas meter will soon be installed above the chimney. This permanently monitors the emissions and printouts must be available at all times.

On the other hand, the graves in the George cemetery in York Street are regularly flooded and this can lead to contaminated ground water.

No pacemakers
Recently the cremation chamber was severely damaged and stood still for almost three weeks. "Because of the intense heat, 1000°C, a radio active apparatus combust, damaging the clay chamber. The family of the deceased did not inform us that he had a pace-maker fitted, leading to damage of almost R300 000."

Vermeulen and her partner, Mario Swanepoel, have framed the various metal parts occasionally found in the oven. These include hip replacements, screws and a false eye. Mario says they once even found a surgical scalpel inside the oven. "No wonder the poor guy died!"

They also conduct tours through the crematorium and many old-age homes have brought groups to inspect the facilities.

Ashes to ashes
Swanepoel says they will never allow loved ones to peep into the oven, but they do get the opportunity to see that the coffin accompanies the body into the furnace. "The ash that you receive is a piece of bone that remains after the cremation that is ground up to form a powder. We also cremate many animals and their owners are just as sentimental about their pets’ ashes as they are about a human’s."

The obvious choice?
In 1963, Jessica Mitford, an Eng-lish writer who lived in America wrote a best seller harshly criti-cising the funeral industry. Pro cremation, Mitford accused burial homes of unscrupulous business practices and taking advantage of grieving families.
"I heartily approve of cremation. In the first place it is cleanly, it helps along nature, and in the second place, it is economical. The body must eventually be turned to dust.
"Why not by cremation rather than have it decomposing in the ground?"

A sound argument, but is it really that simple?

When pushed for an answer, both Swanepoel and Vermeulen admitted that their graves have already been chosen and that they will be laid to rest in the beautiful old cemetery in Oudtshoorn in the heart of the Little Karoo.

ARTICLE: ILSE SCHOONRAAD