Unfortunately, the number of funerals is rapidly increasing daily. The funeral services industry is an unregulated industry and many unscrupulous players are exploiting clients in a time of grief.
At present there are many operators or so-called funeral directors who are not affiliated to a recognized federation or controlling body such as the FFSA (Funeral Federation of South Africa).
This means that the operators do not conform to recognized acceptable standards and practices namely proper storage facilities, care of the deceased, the lack of skills in the field of embalming, conducting of funerals and the repatriation of human remains internationally.
Needless to say the result of this is that the entire funeral profession is perceived to be exploiting families at their most vulnerable time. There are operators who will collect human remains in "bakkies" and exploit families i.r.o. astronomical rates for removal and storage.
So the question is how do you as a Numsa member protect yourself and your family against unscrupulous operators in the funeral services industry? What should you look out for?
Firstly, Lesaka through its subsidiary Ferreira Group formed an agreement with various parlours and also accredited these parlours to ensure that:
Certain ethical standards and procedures are regularly monitored and measured Specially negotiated funeral services are offered to NUMSA members
To make it easier for members they can look out for the Lesaka Ferreira accredited parlour sign. If you see this sign it means it is a fully accredited parlour and you will qualify for the special rates.
Secondly, a family must always check the checklist below when using a parlour that has not been accredited by Lesaka/Ferreira:
Is the Funeral Director a member of the FFSA or NFDA? Are the mortuary facilities compliant with health regulations as set out by the minister? Is the staff professional in their approach to the bereaved family as well as the deceased? Is there recourse to the company's management should there be dissatisfactions.
Does the company obtain all necessary documentation on behalf of you? i.e. Death Certificate etc? Are you offered a choice of products and services? Are there facilities for "Viewing the deceased"? Are the proper vehicles used for the removal of human remains i.e. Ambulance etc.?
Lastly, but most importantly – Never allow the deceased to be removed by any operator other than the preferred service provider.
Article Provided by Lesaka Ferreira
Source
Numsa News