South Africa’s funeral industry, estimated to generate more than R10 billion a year, is grappling with more than 20 000 unauthorised operators working in townships across the country, according to the president of the South African Funeral Practitioners Association.
Dr Nomfundo Mcoyi-Zondo, who has spent 16 years in the industry, told The Money Show‘s Stephen Grootes that the number of operators without the required documents or licences was growing — but cautioned strongly against labelling them as illegal.
“I prefer to call them unauthorised instead of illegal,” she said. “Some of them are not illegal. They contribute a lot to the economy, to job creation. There is a lot that they do. They help families. It is just that they do not have certain documents to operate — maybe they are still struggling due to regulations, due to a lot of reasons. But that is the correct term, rather than saying they are illegal.”
Durban convention to tackle compliance
She said the association and its allied organisations were actively working to bring unauthorised operators into compliance through mentorship, training and guidance. A major national convention is scheduled for Durban next week, where the entire federation of funeral associations will convene alongside government departments including Home Affairs, the FCA and SARS.
“We sit in one room with all the government departments that regulate our industry,” Mcoyi-Zondo said. “It is very, very important that all parlours attend, because we make sure that we create all the assistance so that they are not called illegal — but we give them a platform to correct whatever might be missing in their business.”
Industry challenges excessive red tape
Mcoyi-Zondo stressed the importance of co-regulation between government and industry, warning that policy made without the sector’s input would not be effective.
“They cannot regulate our industry without us,” she said. “They cannot talk about us without us. They need to hear from us what works for us so that, at the end of the day, they create efficiencies for us — because we need to protect the business and also the client.”
Burial land running out in urban areas
The shortage of burial space, particularly in densely populated urban areas, is among the most pressing challenges facing the sector. Mcoyi-Zondo said the industry was responding by introducing new methods of disposal, including cremation and aquamation — a water-based process she described as environmentally friendly.
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“There are different burial methods. You do not have to bury a person. There is aquamation, cremation. There is quite a lot that we can do,” she said. “We are introducing our people to new burial methods without compromising their cultural beliefs.”
Only one company currently offers aquamation in South Africa. Mcoyi-Zondo said the industry was engaging government to help fund the acquisition of more aquamation machines so that the option could become more widely available.
Virtual funerals and innovation reshape sector
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated innovation across the sector, with virtual funerals — where services are conducted online — becoming increasingly popular and widely accepted.
“We saw a lot of funerals done virtually where people could not attend, and people are loving that,” Mcoyi-Zondo said. “Some people start by burying now and doing the service later.”
She said the industry was also moving towards greater automation and greener practices, with the upcoming Durban convention set to focus on innovation, compliance and training as part of a broader drive to professionalise the sector.
“What we used to do 16 years ago, we are doing it better and more differently currently,” she said. “We are seeing a lot of innovation as well.”
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