While everyone thinks that the dead are resting in peace inside their graves in Duduza Old Cemetery, the truth is that they might be turning because the thieves are still from them.
Following many incidents of the graves left without tombstones and grave slabs in Kwatsaduza, the Xakaza from Duduza never thought that the incident will also happen on the grave of their loved one.
Phinda Xakaza says he was shocked to see his old brother’s grave left open when he visited the grave on Saturday afternoon.
He says he could not believe that the grave slab including a tombstone that the family erected on August 27 was already stolen.
“I paid my brother’s grave a visit and to see if the grave was still good as the family was thinking to do the unveiling before December,” says disapointed Xakaza.
He says it breaks his heart that after more than 30 years his brother has been resting in peace, the thieves decided to steal from his grave a month after a tombstone has been erected.
“The theft of tombstones is giving me the sleepless nights, thinking if whose grave from my loved ones buried in the Duduza Cemetery will be targeted by thieves,” says Joahnna Xakaza (86) whose husband, daughter and son are buried in that cemetery.
The place has been turned into a shortcut path from one side of the township to the other part of the area.
One of the residents in the township, Elizabeth Nkosi says the vandalism that takes place in the graveyard is s concern to the community.
“We do not feel comfortable to bury our relatives in the area, because we fear that the thieves might dig and steal the corpse,” says worried Nkosi.
Adding that she believes all the criminal activities happening in that graveyard will only end if a security guard can be employed to work there during the day and night.
“The dead also need to be guarded so that they are not abused by the criminals who want to make money by stealing from them,” concludes Nkosi.
