The MK Party’s recent entry into the funeral cover market with its MK Funeral Scheme has sparked outrage from the Unification Task Team of the Funeral Industry of South Africa (UTT). Representing funeral practitioners nationwide, UTT has called on the Jacob Zuma-led political party to withdraw from the R20-billion-a-year sector, asserting that political entities should not encroach upon this industry.
UTT spokesperson Muzi Hlengwa criticized the MK Party’s move, calling it an act of “greed and opportunism” that threatens the livelihoods of established funeral practitioners.
“Political parties exist to represent the people, not to intrude into industries already serving communities,” Hlengwa said. “The MK Funeral Scheme undermines hardworking individuals who have long-standing roots in the funeral business, creating unnecessary division and jeopardizing the integrity of our sector.”
Hlengwa also expressed concern that MK Party members working in the funeral industry could face discrimination if they opted for services outside the party’s initiative. He warned of widespread industry disruption and vowed that UTT would resist this interference.
UTT has issued a seven-day ultimatum for the MK Party to withdraw from the funeral industry, threatening a mass protest at the party’s offices if their demands are not met.
“We are calling on MKP to respect the wishes of the people and leave the funeral industry to those who have built it from the ground up,” said Hlengwa. “If they persist, they will face the full wrath of the Unification Task Team.”
The MKP is not the first political entity to enter the funeral sector. In 2019, the ANC proposed launching a funeral policy scheme to support its members and followers with affordable burial options. However, UTT successfully opposed this initiative.
UTT has also challenged corporate entrants like Sanlam and Old Mutual when they attempted to establish funeral services, ensuring they remained focused on traditional insurance roles rather than encroaching on the funeral parlour space.
In response to the growing complexities of the funeral insurance sector, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the Prudential Authority initiated a review of regulations governing funeral insurance distribution. The initiative seeks to formalize the industry, enhance compliance, and address concerns about unlicensed operators.
Efforts include improving consumer financial literacy, guiding unlicensed parlours toward legal compliance, and developing enforcement strategies to maintain high industry standards.
Hlengwa reiterated that the funeral industry is already saturated, and political parties have no place competing within it.
“When the ANC wanted to create a funeral cover scheme, we blocked them. When corporations like Sanlam and Old Mutual tried to become funeral undertakers, we fought them off,” he said. “The MKP’s move is unacceptable and must be stopped to protect an already crowded industry.”
As the seven-day deadline approaches, the UTT stands firm in its opposition, determined to safeguard the interests of funeral practitioners and resist any further encroachment into their industry by political entities.
