When giving some thought to the wide range of possible occupations one could have, being a gravedigger never came to mind. One cannot imagine a more sombre job, but for some, it is a permanent form of employment, a job they have learned to master and respect.
For gravediggers Gabriel Monale and Xolani Maseko, clocking in at the Avalon Cemetery daily has become a norm, one in which they have trained themselves to switch off their emotions and continue with business as usual.
As gravediggers, their workday starts at 8 a.m. and ends as soon as the digging quota for the day has been met. Avalon Cemetery is their depot, and from there they receive instructions for their daily duties.
“Every morning upon arrival, we are assigned to dig around three graves. We are not restricted to working at one cemetery; it can be any graveyard within the region,” explains Monale.
Before any digging commences, Monale and Maseko suit up. They are required to wear ice white protective gear provided to them by Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ).
The protective suits and safety boots with gloves must always be worn. This is because they undertake several types of grave digging. Two of them include digging a new grave as well as reopening an existing gravesite as per a family member’s request to be buried on top of each other.
The suits protect all diggers from coming into direct contact with potential diseases in the gravesites. All diggers remove and safely dispose of the suits after each day. This eliminates the spreading of diseases.
Monale has been a graveside worker for eight years and Maseko for seven years. The two met on the job and have been digging partners for the last five years. Every graveside worker has a partner in digging duties. This is done to make sure they watch out for each other and that they have assistance throughout the day. It would also take longer if only one person attended one site.
“We have been digging together for many years. The longer you dig together, the more you learn about each other’s style of digging,” notes Maseko.
In the beginning it used to take them longer to dig out the graves, but now it takes them about one and a half hours to complete a gravesite because they are comfortable with the task and have plenty of digging experience.
Each hole has to be six feet deep. Monale and Maseko make use of their shovels to measure the depth of their holes.
“In the beginning, it used to be difficult knowing we were opening a gravesite for a family member to bid their final farewells. As time went on, I shifted my focus and reminded myself that this is my job and I need to do it,” says Monale.
Maseko adds that being a graveside worker has opened his eyes to the importance of having funeral policies in place for himself and his family.
“One of the saddest experiences is seeing family members unable to finance their relatives’ funerals. I also think a lot about my family when digging the graves. Telling myself it could be me or one of my relatives,” he says in a sad tone.
In addition to an already out of the ordinary occupation, Monale highlights that his job has its challenges.
“The most challenging part of our job is when it’s raining. The sand is wet and not as loose, making it difficult for us to dig and unearth big stones and clotted sand forming boulders,” says Monale.
On the other hand, Maseko says spending time in the graveyards every day has made them more aware of how short life is.
“Monale and I spend our time digging but chatting away to pass the time. We value our relationship and our job. It might not be the best job, but it has to be done, and we are proud to be gravediggers because everybody deserves a neat grave,” says Maseko.
Written by Sascha-Lee Joseph
27/05/2022