Emfuleni to pilot digital cemetery management system

Emfuleni Local Municipality is set to become the first municipality in South Africa to pilot a new Digital Cemetery Management Solution in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

The cloud-based system forms part of a national initiative aimed at modernising cemetery administration and improving the way burial services are managed by municipalities.

The platform will allow residents, funeral undertakers and burial societies to apply for burials online, upload supporting documents, track applications in real time and receive electronic updates.

It will also digitise cemetery records, improve grave allocation, streamline administrative processes and assist the municipality with long-term cemetery planning.

A dedicated mobile application for Android and Apple devices will allow users to access the services remotely.

Emfuleni said the pilot would be used to assess the effectiveness of the system and ensure that it meets the needs of residents and other stakeholders before the solution is rolled out to municipalities across the country.

The municipality said the initiative was part of its efforts to improve efficiency, transparency and access to municipal services through digital technology.

Emfuleni will work with SALGA during the pilot phase to monitor the implementation and identify areas requiring improvement before the system is introduced nationally.