Richter Funerals in East London and King William's Town: services, policies and contacts

Richter Funerals is a family business started by the late Conradt Richter in 1981 in King William's Town, then trading as Richter & Richter Funeral Directors. The East London branch opened in 1997. It is a regional firm with two branches, not a national chain.

It arranges funerals and cremations. It also lists funeral policies, in-house flowers and wreaths, tombstones, exhumation, and local and international repatriation. It says it is a member of the National Funeral Directors' Association.

Richter also sells urns, eco-friendly memorials and cremation jewellery through an online catalogue.

• Richter Funerals has two branches, East London (043 726 0560) and King William's Town (043 643 3674), which serve the Border-Kei region, with all-hours service numbers. (richterfunerals.co.za)
• If someone dies of natural causes you can call Richter any time of day or night to collect the deceased; for unnatural deaths the police must be told first and the deceased goes to a state mortuary until the autopsy is done. (richterfunerals.co.za)
• Richter's funeral policies are underwritten by Sanlam Developing Markets Limited, described as a licensed life insurer (FSP 11230), and sold through Groups R Us (FSP 45735). (richterfunerals.co.za)
• Richter is a member of the National Funeral Directors' Association and also offers local and international repatriation, tombstones and exhumation. (richterfunerals.co.za)
• When arranging a funeral bring the deceased's identity document and any funeral policy or prepaid funeral contract, whoever issued it. (richterfunerals.co.za)
• Cremation needs the statutory Application for Cremation signed before a Commissioner of Oaths by the executor or next of kin (Richter assists), and a pacemaker must be removed before cremation. (richterfunerals.co.za)

Plans as Richter Funerals describes them on its own website on 30 September 2026. Premiums depend on your age, the cover amount and who you add, so the published figures are examples, not quotes.

Sources: richterfunerals.co.za/...s/funeral-insurance-policies.

Checked on 30 September 2026 against Richter Funerals's official website. Numbers change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. Richter Funerals will never ask you to pay a claim fee or send money to a new bank account; if a caller does, hang up and phone the official number.

Two branches: East London (76 Garcia Street (Ajax Crescent), Cambridge, 5201) and King William's Town (113 Cambridge Road, 5600), serving the Border-Kei region. (richterfunerals.co.za)

Sources: richterfunerals.co.za/pages/contact-us.

If someone has died of natural causes, Richter says you can call it at any time of day or night to collect your loved one. Use the all-hours number for the branch nearest you, in the contact table above.

For an unnatural death, the police must be told first. The deceased then goes to a state mortuary until the autopsy is done.

When you arrange the funeral, bring the deceased's identity document and any funeral policy or prepaid funeral contract, whoever issued it.

Separately, a notice of death must be given to Home Affairs within 72 hours by a family member or a representative the family appoints. Our guide to funeral parlours and funeral cover explains how a parlour and a policy fit together.

If you choose cremation, the statutory Application for Cremation must be signed before a Commissioner of Oaths by the executor or the next of kin. Richter says it will help you with this.

A pacemaker must be removed before cremation. Tell the branch if the person had a pacemaker when you first phone.

Richter does not publish cremation prices. Ask for an itemised written quote, so that you can compare it with burial.

Richter sells funeral policies as Richter Funerals CC, an authorised juristic representative of Groups Are Us (Pty) Ltd, trading as Groups R Us. It says the policies are underwritten by Sanlam Developing Markets Limited, a licensed life insurer.

Richter describes the cover only as a wide range of options for individuals and families of all ages. It publishes no cover amounts, premiums, entry ages or waiting periods, and no claims number. Policy enquiries go through the enquiry on its funeral insurance page. Ask for these in writing before you sign:

• The cover amount, the premium and who is covered.
• The waiting period. The rules cap the waiting period for natural death at six months, and no waiting period may apply to death by accident.
• How to claim, which documents are needed and how long a payout takes.

Richter gives the FSP numbers of the two companies on its site, and we did not check them on the FSCA register. Please check them yourself. Search for each number on the FSCA register of authorised financial services providers and confirm that the name matches. The FSCA toll-free line is 0800 110 443.

If a claim is declined, ask for the reason in writing. You can then complain to the National Financial Ombud, which is free to use. Phone 0860 800 900 or use nfosa.co.za/submit-a-complaint/.

Richter does not publish funeral prices on the pages we read, and we will not guess at them. Ask each branch for an itemised written quote, with every cost written down.

• What is included: the coffin, preparation, transport, venue and paperwork.
• What costs extra, such as flowers, wreaths, programmes and a tombstone.
• Whether the branch can collect and bury in the town you need, and what the transport costs if it is outside the Border-Kei region.
• For a burial in another province, or a repatriation, what the arrangement covers and who pays for it.

Do not feel pressured to decide on the spot. A good funeral director gives you space to think, and never asks you to pay a fee to a new bank account because of a phone call. Phone the branch number you found here and confirm first.