S African Hindu monks accused of ‘overcharging’ for funerals of COVID victims

Image Source : AP S African Hindu monks accused of ‘overcharging’ for funerals of COVID victims
Some Hindu monks in South Africa have come beneath fireplace for allegedly charging excessive charges to conduct funerals of COVID-19 victims. Pradeep Ramlall, Manager of the Clare Estate Crematorium in Durban, slammed monks who’re doing this.
Ramlall, who can also be a member of the Hindu Dharma Association of South Africa, mentioned the organisation had acquired a lot of complaints about this from households of people that had succumbed to the virus.
In latest weeks, amid a second wave and a brand new variant of the COVID-19 virus, the crematorium has needed to introduce double shifts amid every day deaths within the metropolis which is residence to greater than a 3rd of South Africa’s Indian-origin inhabitants of about 1.4 million.
“Priests are charging between R1,200 and R2,000 to conduct a funeral. This is not right. As per our scriptures, this is our seva (service) to the community. If a family wants to give a priest a donation, then that is acceptable but priests should not be charging people,” Ramlall instructed the Weekly Post.
“I was in my vehicle. The priest had conducted a COVID-19 victim’s funeral. While he was in the parking lot, he removed R100 notes from his pocket and counted it before sanitising each note and putting the money back into his pocket,” he mentioned recounting an incident that he had personally witnessed.
Ramlall known as on the neighborhood to keep away from being exploited beneath the present attempting circumstances which was bringing grief to so many households and requested them to conduct the cremation themselves.
“We have pre-recorded videos that they can use. If they insist on having a priest, then the priest can conduct the funeral through Zoom or through a WhatsApp video call. We need to embrace technology,” Ramlall mentioned.

South African Hindu Maha Sabha President Ashwin Trikamjee mentioned they’d a listing of accredited monks on the Sabha’s Facebook web page that households might contact to conduct the final rites at no cost.
Citing the huge improve within the variety of COVID-19-related deaths, Trikamjee mentioned there have been funerals being performed at odd hours by monks who use their very own transport and private protecting tools (PPE) which they may anticipate reimbursement for, though households wouldn’t be obliged to pay.
Earlier, Lucy Sigaban, a Hindu priestess within the sprawling Indian suburb of Lenasia close to Johannesburg, had urged the federal government to help monks who’re conducting funerals of COVID-19 victims freed from cost by offering them with PPE for gratis, however this has not occurred but.
For the final two months, COVID-19 infections and deaths have been rising exponentially in South Africa.
On Thursday alone, there have been 647 deaths and over 11,000 extra infections reported, bringing the whole deaths to 39,501 and infections to 1.38 million because the first case was reported in March final yr.
The authorities is awaiting a cargo of over 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from India inside the subsequent month to prioritise well being care staff and different important providers employees. 
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