Tombstone Manufacturing and Installation at Westpark Cemetery, Johannesburg
Looking for a tombstone manufacturer and installer at Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg? Mkhonto Tombstones manufactures memorials in-house and recently completed a full installation at Westpark – foundation, brickwork surround, and a custom granite memorial – and knows the site’s requirements, layout, and history first-hand.
Every installation Mkhonto Tombstones undertakes carries its own weight, but some come with a backdrop that adds an extra layer of meaning. Our team recently manufactured and installed a full tombstone – foundation, brickwork surround, and a custom black granite memorial with hand-painted detailing – at Westpark Cemetery. Because we manufacture our memorials ourselves rather than outsourcing them, families get one point of contact from design through to final placement. For any family entrusting us with a memorial, the setting matters, and Westpark is unlike almost any other cemetery in the country.
A Cemetery Built on Johannesburg's Own History
Westpark Cemetery is a large, non-denominational burial ground in Johannesburg with separate Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Chinese burial areas, and its Jewish section contains a Holocaust Memorial erected in 1995. The cemetery opened in 1942 on land that was once part of Farm Waterval, one of Johannesburg’s original farms, purchased in 1887 by two brothers hoping to strike gold. They never found any, but the land went on to shape the city in other ways – the farm’s smallholdings and orchards were later used to build the Emmarentia Dam, and in 1993 part of the land was donated to the city, eventually becoming the Johannesburg Botanic Gardens, Marks Park Sports Club, and Westpark Cemetery itself.
Westpark also carries a significant military history. It holds the war graves of 617 Commonwealth service personnel from World War II, along with 21 non-Commonwealth and seven non-war graves cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and a Military Plot with a memorial to 69 Commonwealth personnel cremated in Johannesburg during the war. Unlike many historic cemeteries, Westpark remains active today, with burials still taking place. That’s an important point for families: Westpark isn’t a closed heritage site, it’s a working cemetery that still accepts new burials and new memorials every year – which means tombstone manufacturing and installation at Westpark Cemetery is an ongoing, regular part of what we do.
More on the cemetery’s founding and layout is available on the City of Johannesburg’s Westpark Cemetery page and its Wikipedia entry.
Home to South Africa's "Heroes Acre"
Perhaps what Westpark is best known for locally is a dedicated section that has become something of a heritage site in its own right. Within the cemetery, a section is set aside for well-known South Africans – politicians, athletes, musicians, activists, and media personalities – and is often described by visitors as feeling more like a museum.
Struggle veterans and anti-apartheid figures are buried here, and the grounds are also the resting place of a young HIV/AIDS activist whose story moved the whole country. The section has since become a place where South Africans go to pay their respects to musicians, sportspeople, and cultural icons whose work shaped the soundtrack and identity of the nation – a reminder that Westpark isn’t just a cemetery, but a living record of South African public life across generations. Out of respect for the families involved, we won’t list individual names here, but the section continues to grow every year as new memorials are added.
Why Choose Mkhonto Tombstones for a Westpark Installation
A cemetery with this much history, foot traffic, and symbolic weight isn’t the place to take chances with an inexperienced installer, or with memorials sourced from a third-party supplier. Mkhonto Tombstones manufactures every memorial in-house and has hands-on experience installing at Westpark, so we understand what the site requires from start to finish:
- In-house manufacturing – every tombstone is designed, shaped, and engraved by our own team, giving us full control over quality, materials, and turnaround time.
- Site-specific know-how – familiarity with Westpark’s plot layout, ground conditions, and access routes, so installation day runs smoothly.
- Foundation and levelling – clearing and preparing the plot, then casting a solid concrete base so the memorial sits level and stable for decades.
- Brick surround – building a supporting brick frame around the grave to anchor the base slab and protect the structure from ground movement.
- Granite base and headstone – manufacturing and positioning polished granite base sections, followed by the headstone itself.
- Custom detailing – hand-painted designs, engraved portraits, and heart or shape motifs, all produced in-house and tailored to reflect the personality of the loved one being honoured.
Every layer of that process, from the first spade of red Johannesburg soil to the final polish on the granite, is done with the same care – because a memorial in a place like Westpark isn’t just marking a grave. It’s adding to a landscape that Johannesburg families have been walking through, and finding comfort in, for over 80 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who manufactures and installs tombstones at Westpark Cemetery?
Mkhonto Tombstones manufactures tombstones in-house and installs them at Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg, handling everything from design and granite manufacturing to foundation work and final placement.
Does Mkhonto Tombstones only install tombstones, or do they make them too?
Mkhonto Tombstones manufactures tombstones in-house rather than sourcing them from a third party, which means design, engraving, and installation are all handled by the same team.
Does Westpark Cemetery still allow new burials and memorials?
Yes. Westpark is an active cemetery, and new tombstone installations take place there regularly, including in the well-known Heroes Acre section.
How long does a tombstone manufacturing and installation take at Westpark Cemetery?
Timing depends on the design and foundation work required, but manufacturing is scheduled ahead of installation day, and most on-site installations – from site preparation to the final granite placement – are completed within a day.
Can I get a custom-designed tombstone manufactured and installed at Westpark Cemetery?
Yes. Mkhonto Tombstones manufactures custom shapes, hand-painted detailing, and engraved portraits in-house, in addition to standard granite headstone designs.
Trusted for Memorials That Matter
Whether it’s a family plot in a small-town cemetery or an installation at a landmark site like Westpark, Mkhonto Tombstones manufactures and installs every memorial with the same standard of craftsmanship and respect. If you need a tombstone manufactured and installed at Westpark Cemetery or anywhere else in Johannesburg and Gauteng, we’d be honoured to guide you through the process – from design and manufacturing to final installation.
Get in touch with Mkhonto Tombstones today to discuss your tombstone manufacturing and installation at Westpark Cemetery.
Explore More Tombstone Options
→ For the full memorial range, visit our Adult Tombstones page.
→ Looking for headstone options specifically? See our Adult Headstones page.
→ For children’s memorials, visit our Children’s Tombstones page.
→ For children’s memorials, see our Children’s Headstones page.
→ Return to our full tombstone range overview.