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Mozambique: Unpaid grave plots may revert to the Municipality of Maputo
4:50 CAT | 14 Jul 2021
File photo: O País
All graves in the Lhanguene and Michafutene municipal cemeteries whose financial situation has not been regularised by July 28 run the risk of reverting to the Municipal Council of Maputo.
The councillor for Health and Social Action of Maputo municipality, Alice de Abreu, says that this measure is intended to persuade citizens to regularise arrangements with the municipality.
“This is not the first time we have made this appeal. We made the first one in April and, due to the poor response, did it again in June. We found many abandoned graves in Lhanguene and Michafutene cemeteries, and these are an eyesore, especially since a plan to restructure, organise and clean up the cemeteries is currently in progress,” she said.
A communique from Maputo City Council dated June 28 indicates that “in the absence of the appearance of those concerned, in the period established above, the graves will revert to the Maputo Municipal Council”. Councillor De Abreu however explains that the municipality’s objective is “not to repossess the spaces by force, but to ensure that there is better organisation of the cemeteries”.
“After the indicated period, the Municipal Council will assess the fate of graves and tombs that have not been regularized. Our objective is to urge citizens to fulfil their role, which is to guarantee the cleaning and maintenance of the graves and deposits, and now take care of reserving the grave space,” De Abreu clarified.
“Regularisation covers the reservation of plots and the maintenance and cleaning of graves and tombs,” De Abreu explained. “The renovation of the grave is done from the sixth year onwards, because from the first to the fifth year nothing is paid. But if family members want to keep that space for longer, costs accrue”.
According to the manager, from the sixth to the fifteenth year (nine years), the grave space costs 1,500 meticais (corresponding to 150 meticais per year). From year 16 to 25 it costs 3,000 meticais, and from year 26 to 50, 5,000 meticais.
De Abreu noted that grave space reservation fees can be paid yearly, if families so wish.
Allied to the reservation of plots is the matter of maintenance, in regard to which Alice de Abreu presented three possibilities, namely for cement, marble or tomb.
“The grave can be maintained by cement, which costs 1,000 meticais, by marble, at the price of 2,000 meticais, or even by mausoleum or tomb at the price of 5,000 meticais.”
The municipality says it has registered an average of 150 citizens a day at Lhanguene cemetery since the process began, and about 50 a day at Michafutene.
“For us, these numbers are satisfactory, because we have seen changes in the appearance of our cemeteries. Some residents who have regularised the situation of the graves had not visited for a long time, but now [the graves] are better organised, and cleaner. That is our objective,” she concluded.
The Municipality of Maputo manages 11 cemeteries, one of which (Michafutene) is in Matola municipality.
By Inalcide Uamusse
Source: O País
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