How to plan a funeral in South Africa

In the first day or two, the essentials are:

1. Confirm the death. If at home, a doctor, paramedic or the police must confirm it and complete the Notification of Death form (the BI-1663). In hospital, the staff handle this.
2. Contact a funeral parlour. They will collect and care for the body and guide you through the next steps. You can call any parlour - you are not locked into one.
3. Locate key documents (see the documents section below).
4. Check for funeral cover or a policy. Many families have funeral cover with AVBOB, Old Mutual, Assupol, a bank or a burial society. Notify the insurer early, as a payout can fund the funeral.
5. Gather close family to make the main decisions together - burial or cremation, date, and venue.

Do not rush the big choices. A day to breathe and decide is reasonable.

South African funerals involve several documents:

• BI-1663 (Notification of Death / Stillbirth) - completed by the doctor or official who confirms the death.
• The deceased's ID (green book or smart card).
• Death Certificate - Home Affairs issues this. The funeral parlour usually helps you obtain it, and you will need it for burial, claims and the estate.
• Burial Order - required before burial or cremation; the parlour arranges this.
• Your own ID as the person handling arrangements.
• Any funeral policy documents for making a claim.

Keep several certified copies of the death certificate - you will need them for the bank, insurers and the estate.

Beyond family and friends, you will need to inform:

• The funeral parlour - first, so they can collect the body.
• The Department of Home Affairs - to register the death and obtain the death certificate (usually via the parlour).
• Funeral cover insurer or burial society - to lodge a claim.
• The deceased's bank - to handle accounts; the estate process will follow.
• Employer or pension fund - for any benefits owed.
• The church or place of worship - to arrange the officiant and venue.
• SARS and any creditors - later, as part of winding up the estate.

Dealing with the estate (the master's office, the will, the executor) is a separate, slower process you can begin after the funeral.

Once the essentials are handled, plan the service itself:

• Burial or cremation - decide based on the person's wishes, faith and budget.
• Date and venue - church, home, or a chapel at the parlour.
• Officiant - pastor, priest, imam or family elder.
• Order of service - the running order of the ceremony.
• Program - the printed booklet for mourners.
• Music, flowers and tributes - choose hymns, decide on flowers, and ask family to prepare tributes.
• Catering and the after-tears or repast - food for mourners after the service.
• Transport - hearse and family cars, usually arranged by the parlour.

Delegate. Give each task to a capable family member rather than carrying it all yourself.

Funeral costs in South Africa vary widely depending on the type of service, the casket, the catering and the number of guests. A modest funeral can cost a few thousand rand; a large one can run well into the tens of thousands.

Ways to manage the cost:

• Use any funeral cover payout to fund the service.
• Get a written quote from the parlour before agreeing, and ask what is and is not included.
• Compare packages - you are free to approach more than one parlour.
• Let the community help. Burial societies, the church and neighbours often contribute food, money and labour.

If a funeral policy claim is delayed or refused unfairly, you can take the complaint to the National Financial Ombud, which handles funeral cover disputes at no charge.

[ ] Death confirmed and BI-1663 completed
[ ] Funeral parlour appointed
[ ] Deceased's ID and documents gathered
[ ] Funeral cover / policy notified
[ ] Death certificate obtained (certified copies x several)
[ ] Burial order arranged
[ ] Burial or cremation decided
[ ] Date, venue and officiant confirmed
[ ] [Order of service](/templates/order-of-service-funeral/) and program prepared
[ ] Music, [flowers](/templates/funeral-flower-card-messages/) and tributes organised
[ ] Catering and after-tears arranged
[ ] Transport (hearse, family cars) booked
[ ] Bank, employer and pension fund notified

Tick these off and you will have covered the essentials.