South Africa facing coffin shortages as COVID-19 deaths surge

The grim impact of COVID-19 continues to wreak devastation across South Africa, and the rest of the world. As the daily death toll reaches stomach-churning heights in Mzansi, the country’s ability to cope with the knock-on effects has been depleted – and there’s no better example of this than the so-called ‘coffin shortage’.

Dr Lawrence Konyana, Deputy President of the National Funeral Directors’ Association (NFDA), said that some of their members in the Eastern Cape had reported a coffin shortage at the beginning of the month. This grave issue is also likely to surface in several other provinces – such as KZN, the Western Cape, and Gauteng.

COVID-19 deaths are still escalating in these parts of SA, and the strain is being felt by funeral directors and mortuary attendants alike. The feared coffin shortage is being caused by a number of intertwined factors.

On Tuesday, over 500 people were confirmed dead as a result of contracting coronavirus. The Western Cape remains the worst-affected province – with the Eastern Cape and KZN also struggling to stave off the tide of fatalities.

“Regrettably, a further 513 deaths have been reported: Eastern Cape 124, Free State 14, Gauteng 64, Kwa-Zulu Natal 92, Limpopo three, Northern Cape 14, and Western Cape 202. This brings the total deaths to 30 524. We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased.

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Source: thesouthafrican

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