Objection letter for Verulam Mortuary 

8 October 2021

Ms Nancy Moonsamy
Mr Odwa Mgobozi
The eThekwini Municipality
Durban

RE: Objection to a Mortuary in a Verulam

Dear Sir/Madam,

A mortuary is an essential service to any community. However, there is concern that its location is not compatible with a residential area and has implications for quality of life of residents:

No amount of skill or tact can wholly eliminate from the undertaking business its constant reminders of death, the one thing from which the normal individual instinctively flees, whatever his religion or philosophy of life. To be compelled to live in a continuing atmosphere of death is intolerable. While the undertaking business is not only lawful but indispensable, there is no justification or excuse for its seeking out and establishing itself in localities devoted exclusively to homes, where it not only materially detracts from the comfort and happiness of those who dwell there, but ruinously depreciates the values of their real estate as well (https://www.planning.org/pas/reports/report97.html)

The Temple Valley community in Verulam are concerned about the location of a mortuary adjacent to their residence. The property owner had originally planned a commercial development – shops/flats – which was supported by the community. He has subsequently made a special consent application to establish a mortuary on the site.

The site in question is less than a kilometre from the historic Shree Gopal Lal Temple, a heritage site. Hindus are concerned plans to locate a mortuary in their residential area. This is because the body is nindit (tainted). Hence, having a mortuary in the vicinity of homes (where people pray) and a Temple is not supported.

The South African Hindu Maha Sabha objects to the special consent application and supports the objection of the community and appeals to the authorities not to grant the special consent application to establish a mortuary on the site.

Regards
Ashwin Trikamjee
President

cc. Property Owner – mthunzifs@gmail.com

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