JSE-listed Calgro M3 reports that its memorial park, in Nasrec, had seen its first 38 burials since its official launch in June.

Speaking to the media during a site visit to the company’s Jabulani, Fleurhof and Nasrec Memorial Park developments, MD Wikus Lategan said the company had sold an additional 20 plots and, although sales had been slow, the project was proving successful.

“We believe we are starting to [establish] a principle of dignity in the burial process. We have noticed that families want to be buried together and we secure a future final resting place for families without the potential shortage of burial space in the greater Johannesburg and Gauteng areas that is currently being experienced,” he said.

Lategan added that safety measures had been implemented since the official launch, including the installation of 24-hour security cameras and security guards on the premises.

“The main office has also officially opened and is a fully fledged green building – in a step to assist South Africa and State-owned utility Eskom in making a difference in the power shortfalls the country has been experiencing.

“The whole site and offices for this business, as well as subsequent memorial park developments, will be operated entirely off the electricity grid, using renewable-energy sources and generator backup. This will contribute towards taking pressure off the already strained national grid,” Lategan pointed out.

Nasrec Memorial Park uses roof-mounted split solar farms across the roofs of the park’s office buildings, gatehouses and guard houses.

Calgro M3 has undertaken extensive research over the past three years and invested R75-million in the project since acquiring the land parcel in October 2014.

Lategan said the concept provided the opportunity for the group to better use pockets of development land, which was not suitable for residential purposes, while providing an amenity that would serve the needs of the very same community.

“This first memorial park was specifically acquired and developed independently as a pilot to establish the concept,” he highlighted.

Additionally, he said, the memorial park development would assist local authorities, which are increasingly struggling to provide an efficient burial service.

“Burial space is becoming scarce and public cemeteries are often targeted by criminals, while upkeep is neglected,” he stated.

To guarantee maintenance of the memorial parks, a portion of the initial purchase price has been invested in a trust established for this purpose.

“The independently managed trust will be used to fund the upkeep and the assets will be invested to beat inflation and cover the cost of maintenance in perpetuity,” he noted.

He stressed that families who came to visit a loved one’s grave 20 years later will find the same level of dignity and security in the surroundings as at the time that they were buried.

Lategan said that the company wanted to use the lessons learned from its memorial park venture, in terms of power saving and reducing grid pressure, in some of its residential developments in the next two years.

“We have 14 projects across South Africa and Namibia, the most recent being the integrated residential development South Fields, in the south of Johannesburg. ‘It comprises 5 000 units. The first 2 000 units will be serviced in December,” he said.

He pointed out that South Fields was being built in association with Standard Bank and the City of Johannesburg and would be an integrated project that accommodated government housing, as well as private housing costing R620 000 and more.

The project will feature two schools, parks and crèches to accommodate residents.