Johannesburg – Residents of Zonkizizwe, on the East Rand, must stop illegally burying people in Magagula Heights, the Ekurhuleni municipality said on Wednesday.

“It has come to our attention that some families are utilising the piece of land unlawfully to bury their deceased loved ones,” parks and cemeteries director Victor Nesengani said in a statement.

“This might seem like a cheap alternative for families, but it places them at risk, as the graves are not protected by the municipality and anyone utilising the land might find themselves at risk of being arrested.”

Nesengani said the illegally buried remains would have to be exhumed and reburied in another, official cemetery.

The municipality urged those who had buried people at Magagula Heights to contact it, so the correct processes could be followed.

– SAPA