The largest funerals services association in South Africa is calling on the government to take a firm stand on regulating the funeral services industry.
This was said by the South African Funeral Practitioner Association (SAFPA) President Libo Mnisi. “Over the years the government has failed to ensure that the funeral services industry is legit and professionalized,” says Mnisi.
Mnisi adds that without the government liaising with the association to regulate the industry, it will still take years for those operating within the industry to be taken seriously. “There is no regulation without us,” says Mnisi. This challenge has been ongoing since the formation of the association more than two decades ago, hence it is taking the necessary steps to ensure that it comes to an end. “Government agencies often say we want to be professionals, but yet our services or not deemed to be certified while in other countries being a funeral director is a recognized skill,” says Mnisi.
According to Research and Markets, the funeral services industry in South Africa has been growing at around 12% annually.
The industry contributes between R5 billion and R10 billion annually. There are at least 70,000 undertakers who are active in the domestic death care market and that is approximately 15,000 funeral parlours that are operational.
While undertakers and funeral parlours play a critical role during death for mourners, the industry remains faced with many challenges, especially for small funeral operators. The bulk of the sector is made up of small businesses serving local communities. A significant number of these do not have certificates of competence and operate in the informal funeral services sector.
The industry has been faced with load shedding, lack of burial space, and land to occupy mortuary refrigerators.
In a bid to take further steps to curb these challenges and more SAFPA presents the first annual Africa funeral convention & expo. The event will take place from 23 – 25 October.
The event is open to SAFPA and Non SAFPA Members to come network, connect, and learn to take their businesses to greater heights.
“The association has a national footprint and has purposely aligned itself with provincial that seek to empower individual undertakers with municipal by-law compliance and most of all in providing world-class customer services to families and mourners,” says Mnisi.
The South Africa Funeral Practitioner Association (SAFPA) is a membership organization that represents professional funeral directors in South Africa. The association was established in 1999 in the city of Bloemfontein. It assists, coach, empower, and support established and small funeral business owners. When you are a member of SAFPA you become part of the biggest network of funeral professionals in South Africa.
