Plan a Tombstone Unveiling: Book Before 15 December
For many families, December is the month when everyone is finally home. Relatives travel back to Limpopo, the house is full, and it feels like the right time to gather at the grave and unveil the tombstone together. If that is your plan this year, the most helpful thing you can do is start now and work backwards from the date.
This guide explains what has to happen before an unveiling can go ahead, which parts your family arranges and which parts Thabaletsi does. If you are already planning the ceremony itself, our tombstone unveiling checklist covers the day in more detail.
Start with the date, then work backwards
An unveiling depends on one thing above all: the tombstone must already be installed. Before the tombstone can be installed, several things need to be in place:
- the design is chosen and the family has a written quotation
- the names, dates and wording are confirmed
- the proof drawing is checked and approved
- the tombstone is paid in full
- the slab (grave foundation) is built
- the cemetery permit and access are arranged
According to our Terms and Conditions, allow about 21 working days for completion, counted from when the stone is fully paid, the proof (the wording and layout) is approved and the slab is done, whichever of these happens last. Please add about one extra week on top of that as a booking cut-off, so the last time to book an order is about a week more than the 21 working days. In practice, we recommend ordering at least 5 weeks before the unveiling date. Weather and other operational matters can occasionally shift this, so plan early and ask your branch about current lead times. Please do not print invitations or confirm catering for a fixed date until we have confirmed that the tombstone is ready and the installation is booked.
Step 1: Choose the tombstone together
Choosing a design is easier when the family can look at real options. You can browse the online catalogue with prices at home, then visit any Thabaletsi branch to see sample stones and talk to a consultant. If the family is spread across different towns, share links to two or three designs you like and agree on one before anyone pays.
If choosing together feels difficult, our guide on avoiding conflict when choosing a tombstone has practical ideas for agreeing as a family.
Step 2: Confirm the details for the proof drawing
Before anything is made, we prepare a proof drawing that shows the shape, size, colour, wording and dates. Check every name and date slowly. Ask a second relative to read it too. Lettering is sandblasted exactly as approved, so this is the moment to get it right.
Step 3: Finish paying
Manufacturing starts once the tombstone is paid in full and the proof is approved. If several relatives are contributing, agree early who pays what, so that the final payment is not the thing that delays the unveiling. Our guide to what a Thabaletsi price includes explains what is in the standard price and what is extra.
Step 4: Build the slab and arrange the permit
While the tombstone is being made, your family can prepare the grave. Thabaletsi encourages families to have the slab, or grave foundation, built by their own builder. We give you the exact sizes and specifications, and the builder must follow them so that the tombstone fits as it should.
At the same time, contact the cemetery office about the permit. The family arranges the cemetery permit, and our team will help with any information the cemetery needs for it. Because the permit has to be in place first, we can't do same-day installations. Our cemetery permits checklist lists the questions to ask.
If the cemetery has a locked gate, arrange the key for the installation day. If our team arrives and cannot work because there is no key or permit, a return visit will be charged.
Step 5: Installation day
Installation is free within 100km of the nearest branch. Beyond that, travel is charged at the current rate, and it will be shown on your quotation. A relative, or someone you have authorised, should be at the cemetery to meet the team, sign the documents and confirm that all is in order. If relatives cannot travel, ask us to send photographs of the installed tombstone.
Our proof-to-unveil installation guide explains each stage of installation in more detail.
Need it sooner? Urgent stones
If your unveiling date is closer than the normal lead time allows, ask your branch about an urgent stone. Urgent stones are possible: an urgent stone costs R1 500 extra, and a stone needed for a funeral costs R2 000 extra. To get an urgent stone done in time, our team can work weekends. Speak to your branch as early as you can, so they can tell you what is possible for your date.
What the family arranges for the unveiling itself
Once the tombstone is installed, the ceremony is in your family's hands. Every family follows its own customs and faith, and there is no single right way. Most families think about:
- The date and time, agreed with the elders and the cemetery office
- Cemetery rules for tents, chairs, music and vehicles
- Who will lead prayers, songs or the traditional parts of the day
- Travel for relatives coming from other provinces, especially in December when roads are busy
- Food and gathering at the family home afterwards
- The unveiling cloth and who will remove it
Rain, heat and December travel
Limpopo's summer brings heat and heavy afternoon storms. Rain can make cemetery roads difficult and can delay building or installation work. Leave room in your plan for a day or two of bad weather, and keep a rain plan for the ceremony, such as a tent or an earlier start.
Remember too that our last day to see families this year is 15 December 2026, and we reopen on 11 January 2027. If your unveiling is planned for the holiday period, please book before 15 December. We cannot promise a completion or installation date when you order, so only fix the unveiling date once we have confirmed the tombstone is installed.
A simple countdown
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| As early as possible, and at least 5 weeks before the unveiling | Choose the design and get a written quotation |
| Straight after | Confirm names, dates and wording; approve the proof |
| Next | Make the final payment so manufacturing can start |
| While it is being made | Build the slab to our specifications; apply for the permit |
| Once all three are done | The 21 working days start from the last of: fully paid, proof approved, slab done |
| Once we confirm it is ready | Book installation; arrange the gate key and an authorised person |
| If your date is close | Ask your branch about an urgent stone (an urgent stone costs R1 500 extra; a funeral stone costs R2 000 extra) |
| After installation | Confirm the unveiling date and invite family |
Talk to your nearest branch
Whether you are in Tzaneen, Polokwane, Metz, Namakgale, Acornhoek or close to our head office and factory in Nkowankowa, our team can talk you through each step. Find your nearest branch on our contact page. A well-planned unveiling is a gift to the whole family.
Frequently asked questions
How long before the unveiling should we order the tombstone?
Allow about 21 working days for completion, counted from when the stone is fully paid, the proof (the wording and layout) is approved and the slab is done, whichever of these happens last. Add about one extra week as a booking cut-off, so we recommend ordering at least 5 weeks before the unveiling date, and add time for the permit and booking installation. Plan early, ask your branch about current lead times, and only fix the unveiling date once we have confirmed the tombstone is ready.
Can we get an urgent stone?
Yes. Urgent stones are possible: an urgent stone costs R1 500 extra, and a stone needed for a funeral costs R2 000 extra. Our team can work weekends to get an urgent stone done in time. Speak to your branch as early as you can.
Can the tombstone be installed on the morning of the unveiling?
We recommend that the tombstone is installed before the day of the unveiling, so that the family is not depending on installation timing on the day itself. Speak to your branch about booking installation in good time.
Who arranges the cemetery permit for the tombstone?
The family arranges the cemetery permit, and our team will help with any information the cemetery needs for it. Because the permit has to be in place first, we can't do same-day installations.
Is installation included in the price?
Yes, installation is free within 100km of the nearest branch. Beyond that, travel is charged at the current rate and is shown on your quotation.
When is your last day before the holidays?
Our last day to see families this year is 15 December 2026, and we reopen on 11 January 2027. Please book before 15 December. We cannot promise a completion date at the time of ordering.