FPBA appeals for gov�t support

Lindiwe Mozola | Wednesday April 20, 2016 15:17

 

He was speaking during FPAB conference here involving a delegation from the South African Funeral Parlour Association (SAFPA) and National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association (NFDMA) from South Africa. Mosala said some of their association’s objectives were to represent the funeral sector and promote the advancement, progress, training within the area of operation and with an endeavour to raise and maintain the highest level and quality of service, ethics, hygiene and integrity within the funeral profession. Furthermore, FPAB also seeks to ensure that the association was recognised as the official body representing the funeral profession on any matter affecting them.

He lamented that the association and its objectives are something that could have long been done, unfortunately it is not the case and this by itself has a negative impact on the funeral industry.   He said it has allowed the funeral industry to be controlled, manipulated and run by other professions and industries.

He described the funeral sector as unhealthy because it was dominated by Botswana Life and Funeral Services Group. “As a result of these two’s marriage we had no option but to bring together all the funeral parlours countrywide to form this association in order to protect the interests and integrity of the funeral profession and oppose any measures which directly and indirectly impacted the commercial development of the funeral industry,” he said.

He said some of the challenges besides fighting monopoly as standardisation of the industry, preparation of the National Health Act and recognition by the government among others. He said he was pleased that his association would join the Ministry of Health in drafting a law that covered the funeral industry. The trade and industry ministry was also helping FPAB to investigate the supply of coffins by trade unions.

SAFPA’s assistant president, Jonathan Davis, assured FPBA of  support saying that they aspire to partner with them to grow the local association.