Speaker, Cope calls on the government to fulfil the mandate given by the people to eradicate poverty, create permanent jobs instead of temporary ones, and have compulsory funeral schemes for the elderly and disabled, in order to progressively realise a better life for all.
Poor people try to have funeral policies, but as expenses rise, they are unable to keep up with the payments and the policies lapse. Some poor people cannot pay for funeral policies, though they want to. Families are not well resourced - most of them survive on grants and allowances.
It was distressing to note that disabled Ms Tlola, a mother of four children in the Eastern Cape, passed on with no money left in her bank account. She was sick for approximately six months, and was not able to keep up with her monthly premiums, as she had to visit doctors. Her insurance company refused to pay the funeral costs because the policy had been in arrears for two months. I had to intervene to cover the funeral costs, because she was a human being and we cannot let the bodies of our people be eaten by vultures.
Therefore, there is a demand for compulsory funeral schemes for grant beneficiaries, especially the elderly and disabled, so that we can be sure that when they die they are buried with dignity. For example, if the money were deducted from their benefits before they were paid, we could be assured that the premium was paid monthly. We also urge the government to give clarity on the policy regarding pauper burials. When someone dies there is no one to take responsibility for the body and the hospital where the death occurred will arrange a simple funeral and burial. Today a pauper's burial is no better than a dog's funeral, it was said by Daisy Booth shortly after burying her friend as a pauper in Mdantsane NU15 Cemetery recently.
In terms of the Health Act of 1977, it is the municipality's responsibility to pay for the removal and burial. We therefore ask the government to look into this. [Time expired.]