Cape Town, Sep 9 (IANS): Memorial gardens dedicated to those who lost their lives due to the Covid-19 pandemic have opened in various parks and cemeteries in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, each with trees planted in a circle.

These trees represent life and will remind the living of the contribution made by their residents and staff to neighbourhoods and the city, Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato said in statement on Wednesday.

Plato helped plant liquidambar styraciflua trees at a memorial garden at Maynardville Park, where green ribbons and tags reading Arbor Month tree-planting in memory of Covid-19 deaths were on the trees.

"We will honour them through nurturing these trees and I look forward to seeing these plants mature to serve as a reminder of the beauty around us, even in difficult times," said Mayor Plato.

Plato, together with Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health Zahid Badroodien, also held six Covid-19 remembrance ceremonies at memorial gardens.

The gardens are "living memorials" to the many loved ones the city has lost, said Badroodien.

"We remember them not only today, but as these trees grow and thrive it will be a testimony to their lives," he said.

According to him, the circle formed by trees symbolises the circle of life.

Planting memorial gardens is also part of activities for the National Arbor Month, an annual campaign to highlight the opportunities for sustainable environmental, social and economic development, community participation, poverty alleviation and job creation in forestry, thereby contributing to growth, development and a better life for all.

Till date, Cape Town has recorded 310,940 confirmed Covid-19 cases.

In Western Cape Province, the total number of the infections reached 505,247, with 18,889 deaths and 463,844 recoveries.