GEORGE NEWS - A grave had to be dug in haste in the George Cemetery on Saturday 28 January after the booking made by a funeral parlour apparently did not reach the George Municipality's parks department.
The Papama family from George, in bereavement after the death of a beloved mother and grandmother, received a nasty surprise on Friday 27 January when they heard that no grave had been prepared for her burial.
The deceased, Nomathafa Deborah Papama (81), passed away on the 19th.
According to a grandson, Mmeli Sotshononda, Dove Funeral Services informed the family after 16:00 on Friday that there was no grave. By then the municipality had already closed for the weekend.
On Saturday morning, in a state of consternation, friends and family continued with meal preparations as many family members had come from afar for the funeral. Other than that, their hands were tied.
"We were not able to do anything about it and this after making extensive arrangements and preparations. My other grandmother was so upset, she was in tears the whole morning on Saturday," Sotshononda told the newspaper.
He said Dove had sent his grandmother's body to the family home, but had then recalled it.
"They were causing so much indignity. To go through such an ordeal in our time of grief was so unnecessary."
The only solution to the situation seemed to go ahead with a memorial service on Saturday and undertake the burial on Monday, once the municipality was open and could dig the grave. In the meantime, return bus tickets were cancelled and changed from Sunday to Monday.
Dove's regional manager, Riana Rosendal, told the newspaper the municipality apparently had not received their e-mail booking for the grave. When staff of Dove went to the cemetery on Friday to check on the grave site - as per usual when there is to be a burial the following day - they discovered that there was no grave.
When it became clear that the booking had not been received, Rosendal said she approached the head of the environmental affairs department, but he would not give permission for a grave to be dug at that stage.
"It was almost closing time for the municipality. We informed the family accordingly and suggested that the burial stand over to Monday while the memorial service continues on Saturday. The family was not happy with this and on Saturday morning, we visited them and decided to dig the grave without municipal permission."
She said Dove reimbursed the cancellation fees for the bus tickets and gave a 10% rebate on the funeral fees. They also provided an additional family car to transport family members to and from the cemetery. "I think we have been reasonable in how we accommodated the family under the circumstances."
Nombulelo Dumalisile helping with the preparations for her aunt's funeral.
Considering to cancel policies
Sotshononda said the family was unhappy with the compensation for their inconvenience. Bus tickets were cancelled and travel postponed till Monday (before the grave was dug) and some family members and friends had to take leave from work and cancel appointments.
"Dove was not apologetic at all about the increase in the cost to us and has shown no remorse. We are really unhappy with them, so much so that we are considering cancelling all other family members' policies with them."
George Municipality's communications chief Chantèl Edwards confirmed that it had not received an e-mail booking or proof of a booking or payment before the deadline (12:00 on a Thursday) for two funerals that Dove had for Saturday.
"The funeral parlour was contacted telephonically on Friday 27 January [in response to the parlour's enquiry regarding the bookings], with still no e-mail request received for the two burial sites, and made aware that a screenshot to prove payment for the two sites would be accepted.
The burial order and proof of payment for one of the funerals were subsequently sent to the municipality at 16:50, outside of working hours. No consent was given for either funeral to proceed.
"The proof of payment for the funeral of the complainant's family was received only on 30 January. A meeting has been scheduled with the relevant funeral parlour for this week," said Edwards.
Preparations for the funeral had to go ahead, even though everybody was shocked and dismayed about there being no grave.
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