“Seeing that people are not adhering to the funeral regulations of 50 people in attendance, only family members and funeral parlour workers should attend,” Gomba said.
She hopes the proposal will “flatten the curve” of the pandemic as the Eastern Cape has 270 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
“There has been a worrying trend of people breaking the lockdown regulations by more than 50 allowed to attend funerals.
“People are continuing to hold sports tournaments and traditional ceremonies. Due to the number of positive cases linked to funerals escalating, we have to do things differently.
“As a result the department will submit a proposal to the premier on how funerals should be conducted in the province.”
Gomba said she hoped Mabuyane would escalate the proposal to put a moratorium on funerals.
“There should be no tents or catering at funerals until the victory against the virus.”
“We believe this is a necessary step to stop the further spread of Covid-19 and prevent more deaths.
“One death is one too many, what we are experiencing now is the new normal so we have to adapt and change how we do things,” Gomba said.
“The department is specifically concerned with funerals in rural areas and townships as scores of people visit the bereaved family for prayer services and to offer condolences on a daily basis.
“This continues until the day of the funeral, this exposes more people to the coronavirus, as graves are dug by village men, they are also in danger of being infected by the virus,” Gomba said.
She said the men would share the same tools used for digging and often drank from the same water jug.
“We value human life and we will always place life ahead of everything else.”
Eastern Cape health MEC looks to restrict funerals further
Image: SUPPLIED
Only family and workers from parlours should be allowed to attend funerals to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape MEC of Health Sindiswa Gomba hopes to get Premier Oscar Mabuyane to approve her proposal to further limit the number of people attending funerals.
This comes as Nelson Mandela Bay recorded its third death with the total number of Covid-19 cases in the Bay at 108 on Sunday morning.
Five people have died in the province with nine managing to recover from the novel virus.
Weekend Post reported on Saturday how 28 people who attended a March 21 funeral in KwaDwesi have tested positive for the infection caused by the coronavirus. One later died.
“Seeing that people are not adhering to the funeral regulations of 50 people in attendance, only family members and funeral parlour workers should attend,” Gomba said.
She hopes the proposal will “flatten the curve” of the pandemic as the Eastern Cape has 270 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
“There has been a worrying trend of people breaking the lockdown regulations by more than 50 allowed to attend funerals.
“People are continuing to hold sports tournaments and traditional ceremonies. Due to the number of positive cases linked to funerals escalating, we have to do things differently.
“As a result the department will submit a proposal to the premier on how funerals should be conducted in the province.”
Gomba said she hoped Mabuyane would escalate the proposal to put a moratorium on funerals.
“There should be no tents or catering at funerals until the victory against the virus.”
“We believe this is a necessary step to stop the further spread of Covid-19 and prevent more deaths.
“One death is one too many, what we are experiencing now is the new normal so we have to adapt and change how we do things,” Gomba said.
“The department is specifically concerned with funerals in rural areas and townships as scores of people visit the bereaved family for prayer services and to offer condolences on a daily basis.
“This continues until the day of the funeral, this exposes more people to the coronavirus, as graves are dug by village men, they are also in danger of being infected by the virus,” Gomba said.
She said the men would share the same tools used for digging and often drank from the same water jug.
“We value human life and we will always place life ahead of everything else.”
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