Durban - The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Traditional Affairs has launched an investigation into price gouging by funeral parlours in Durban during the pandemic.
The department said it continued to receive complaints from grieving families over the alleged increase in prices that prompted the investigation.
Last week, a woman told the POST that she was quoted R10 500 for a funeral. She said the funeral parlour later told her it required an additional R3 000. A man said he paid R4 000 for his brother's funeral despite his sibling having a funeral policy.
Funeral parlour owners said they charged an extra R2 500, which covered personal protective equipment, sanitisers and foggers. They said families requested doves and bagpipers for funerals, at an extra cost.
Bheki Mbanjwa, the department's spokesperson, said: "While we understand that there would be additional costs related to Covid-19 funerals, we are concerned about the reports that there has been excessive gouging of prices.
“We condemn this and we have tasked our enforcement team to investigate these allegations. Where any non-compliance with the consumer and Consumer Protection and National Disaster Management regulations and directions contained is established, this will be dealt with in accordance with the prevailing regulations and directions."
Mbanjwa said the matter would then be reported to the Competition Commission and other relevant organs of state for investigation and prosecution where appropriate. He said once the investigation was complete, the department would advise the public of its outcome.
Muzi Hlengwa, the president of the National Funeral Parlours Association, said he did not understand why the department started the investigation but he welcomed it.
“The matter should be reported to the Funeral Ombudsman or the Competition Commission, not to a department because they cannot do anything. We need to understand that this year is an election year and politicians will say anything to get the vote.”
He said that after last week's claims, some funeral directors did not want to conduct Covid-19 funerals as their names were being tarnished.
“Some of the big funeral businesses in Durban, and in Chatsworth particularly, did not want to do Covid funerals but I advised them not to think that way because of one or two claims.”
Hlengwa said problems in the industry started earlier this month after rumours that funeral parlours received money from the World Health Organization for every Covid-19 funeral.
"These are just rumours. We do not get anything. A week after we denied the claims, our members in Durban were targeted for allegedly overcharging. It's not right. We would not rob our clients or their family members.”
The Post