'We don't want to live next door to corpses'

Residents in a Pietermaritzburg block of flats overlooking a funeral parlour are not happy about living next door to corpses.

Martin's Funerals, which has been in Pietermaritz Street for a decade, is planning to build an in-house mortuary to store bodies ahead of burial.

Martin's general manager Deon Koekemoer has defended his company amid accusations from irate residents in an adjacent block of flats, The Olivers, who charge they were not properly consulted beforehand.

A resident, who spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity, said they recently picketed outside the parlour.

"The first we heard about the mortuary was in October when we received a letter saying the planning commission appeal board had upheld an appeal.

"This place is right next to our homes and imagine how this would devalue our property," said the resident.

"We thought that they would sell only funeral policies and tombstones; we had no idea they would keep bodies. I do not want to damage their business but they must act ethically."

Koekemoer said: "If we want to build anything we have to apply through the correct channels and all of that was done in the correct manner. There was advertising on the premises and we jumped through all the hoops of the municipality.

"We have been on the premises for nearly 10 years and now suddenly they are up in arms. We want them to come and discuss things with us. No one has come through the door to complain. We have processes for storing human remains."