A funeral service is not a legal requirement in South Africa.  However, it is customary to have an ‘end of life ritual’ to commemorate the life that has past.  All decisions should be made in terms of a persons will. Try to ascertain what kind of funeral the deceased would have preferred - burial or cremation.

The responsibility for funeral arrangements and determining the deceased's last resting place normally falls on the closest next of kin or persons named as heirs in the deceased’s will.    

For legal and health reasons it is not recommended that one attempt to carry out the job of an undertaker oneself.  The services of a funeral director/undertaker are required. 

In certain instances the deceased may already have been removed from the scene.  It is absolutely acceptable to select a different funeral director to continue with the arrangements from this point onwards.  Members of the NFDA and other funeral bodies have reasonable standardised rates for removals, so changing funeral directors should not affect the amount you pay for the funeral service.  One is free at any point to select the funeral director who best suits you, whether it is based on price, religion, or any other factor.

What to take with you to a Funeral Parlour

• A copy of the deceased’s Identity Document.
• Next of kin’s Identity Document.
• Funeral Policy - (if there is one)
• Marriage certificate (this is required by the insurance company if you have a policy).
• A photo of the deceased for hymn sheets.
• Clothes - for the deceased to be dressed in.

Funeral directors usually handle the following items:

• Obtaining the death notice from the medical attendants
• Registering the death to Home Affairs and collecting the death certificate
• Supplying you with the original and the necessary certified copies of these forms for estate purposes
• Organising death notices in newspapers
• Offer a selection of coffins to choose from
• Preparing and dressing the deceased for viewing / burial / cremation
• Cemetery or crematorium bookings and arrangements
• Local transport of deceased
• Embalming of the deceased for repatriation (where required)

Additional items to consider:

• Design and printing of hymn sheets
• Catering
• Candles and floral arrangements
• Musicians like singers or bagpipers or an organist
• A sound system / video equipment set up
• Petals and flowers to sprinkle on the grave
• White pigeons
• Helium balloons
• Personal items belonging to the deceased and special memorabilia to display at the funeral