It is estimated that around 23.4 million people or 64% of the population in South Africa have some form of funeral cover in their name or is covered by someone else.
There is also a developing trend that has seen a concern with “big dignified funerals” becoming the norm in some communities across South Africa.
More About Funerals In South Africa
There are currently more than 100 000 burial societies in South Africa.
According to Tembisa Marele, communications at the Financial Services Board, funeral insurance contributed R4.9 billion to the income of the long-term insurance industry. This shows that more people are saving for funeral costs, where even a basic funeral in South Africa can set you back as much as R 30 000.
A Funeral in South Africa can Cost Anything from R 15 000 to as Much as R 150 000.
Research has also shown that many families in black communities are also spending more for funerals, with the high costs of funerals being attributed to the high costs of food and coffins. This has often led to many people wondering about the most expensive funeral in South Africa.
The most expensive items are coffins. In South Africa a coffin costs R 5000 on average, while a cow may cost at least R 6000. May black families have various customs that are associated with the funeral, such as the slaughtering of a cow or other livestock.
The cost of graves has also staggered and is largely dependent on the cemetery that is chosen.
According to Collinge and Co, the most expensive funeral in South Africa had a price tag of R 90 000.
Four-ways Memorial Park is a private cemetery at the higher end of the market, where an average funeral costs R 40 000. According to the company, at this Memorial Park an eight-grave family estate bordered by a hedge can cost up to R 200 000.