09 Apr 2014

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofo Molefhi has informed Parliament that it is government policy that all services and facilities including designation of cemeteries are provided in recognised settlements in accordance with the principles of the National Settlement Policy and the Public Health Act.

Mr Molefhi who was answering a question in Parliament on behalf of Minister of Lands and Housing, said the National Settlement Policy and other government policies and acts were to be implemented and applied consistently by all institutions.

However, he stated that there were instances in the Central District where some families buried or had intentions to bury their deceased in ungazetted areas. Mr Molefhi said this was in contravention of the laws and policies of this country and legal redress was sought in one of the cases.

The minister said all people should bury deceased family members in recognised settlements where cemeteries had been designated and these could be at the deceased’s place of origin or any other recognised place as the relatives may so decide.

MP for Tonota North, Mr Fidelis Molao had asked the minister whether it was government policy that unrecognised settlements across the country were not allowed to have cemeteries.

He further asked the minister if he would assure Parliament that this policy is applied consistently across the country with particular reference to the Tonota North constituency.

Mr Molao also asked him to state where the people who reside in these settlements are supposed to bury their dead given the usual distances between these settlements and villages. Ends