Durban’s 65 cemeteries are reaching capacity. The municipality is intending to expand Newlands Cemetery and improvements are underway at Ottawa Cemetery.
Durban’s cemeteries are running out of space, with eThekwini councillor Daniel Mea blaming inadequate long-term planning for failing to keep up with the city’s population growth.
Mea, the DA eThekwini Community Services Whip, received a response to questions he put to the municipality in May 2026 regarding burial spaces. Mea said that burial space across the municipality is rapidly diminishing. Mea was concerned over the growing burial space crisis facing the municipality.
Statistics SA births and death rates between 2022 and 2026 stated that an estimated 5.4 million people were born while 2.7 million people died in the same period.
According to the municipality, eThekwini currently operates 65 cemeteries, many of which are approaching or have already reached full capacity due to increasing the demand for burial spaces.
