CAPE TOWN – A court ruling has halted the development of a proposed refrigeration storage facility at Mowbray Cemetery, raising concerns among burial practitioners and religious bodies.

Undertakers serving the Muslim community say the lack of such a facility is straining burial processes, especially in cases that require temporary storage.

In a joint letter dated Monday 7 April, a group of undertakers described the halted development as a “significant loss of service infrastructure”.

They say they often need refrigeration storage when documentation is delayed, post-mortems take place or bodies are transported locally and internationally.

“This places continuous financial strain on burial services and ultimately the community,” the letter states.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has also raised concerns about the handling of human remains, including amputated limbs.

The MJC says such remains must be buried in accordance with Islamic practices. This may require temporary storage before burial arrangements are finalised.

The proposed facility at Mowbray Cemetery was intended for refrigeration storage only and not for post-mortem procedures.

The project was halted by a legal challenge

At the time of publication, the parties involved and the legal grounds for the decision had not been made public.

Activists Shameemah Dollie Salie and Faizal Sayed have also commented on the matter.

They have referred to broader legal and governance issues linked to the cemetery, including an ongoing dispute and a reported new legal application relating to land.

The impact of the ruling on future burial infrastructure and services remains uncertain.

This is a developing story.

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