This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
As South Africa grapples with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Africa, the government has begun digging thousands of graves in readiness for an anticipated increase in deaths.
With nearly 250,000 infections and 3,720 coronavirus deaths reported as of July 10, 2020, the country's Gauteng province has identified and cleared large areas of land to accommodate possible thousands of graves.
"We had to come and deal with the unfortunate and uncomfortable subject of death and also to see our preparedness as a province to see how we will be able to cater in the event that many people pass on," said Dr. Bandile Masuku, the Gauteng provincial government Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health.
One cemetery in Honingnestkrans, north of Pretoria, has a capacity of 24,000 graves, but more space has been reserved to expand it to accommodate 36,000 graves.
"We are working around those figures and it's something we are prepared for. We are not here to cause panic, but we need to ensure it's also to ascertain from our side that the logistics are in place," added Dr. Masuku.
Images of excavators digging up the graves have set off alarm bells across the country, prompting authorities to respond to rumors that the government intended to dig up one million graves.
In a statement, the Gauteng health department clarified that the province has not dug over a million graves, but rather has identified the collective capacity of municipalities to handle such a number.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has painted a desperate picture of a country battling to contain new infections, saying, "Now it's no longer a matter of announcing numbers of confirmed cases. We are now at a point where it's our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, close friends and comrades that are infected."
