Rand Water unaware of Rietfontein graves

Rand Water contractors were unaware of the presence of graves on the remainder of Rietfontein Farm when the installation of an impressed current cathodic protection system took place.

The installation, which attracted much attention from concerned members of the community, took place along Club Street next to the nursery on Monday last week.

“Heavy machinery and workers are digging a water pipe and are upsetting and digging out old graves,” one resident said.

Ward 19 councillor for the area, Clr Bill Rundle called for the work to be stopped immediately.

“They cannot dig up graves unless they have permission to do so,” Clr Rundle said.

The following day the NEWS met with a member of the contractors team for a site visit.

Following the site visit the NEWS was able to confirm that as far as what was known, the digging did not affect any of the known graves in the area.

The work was done for the placement of a cathodic protector which prevents electric current from eroding the main water pipe running through the land towards the Greenstone area.

Damage to this main water pipe would affect thousands.

The installation of the cathodic protector has been in the pipeline for a number of years.

The contractor confirmed that cathodic protectors are placed in areas where it will have the least impact on the environment as well as future developments.

The work was done on the boundary of the property along Club Street which from past visits by the NEWS and Clr Rundle does not affect the area in which graves were found.

The work area stretches for a 180m x 4m area along Club Street.

Spokesperson for Rand Water, Mr Justice Mohale confirmed to the NEWS that the scope of the project included the installation of an impressed current cathodic protection system for the North Rand region.

“The project was aimed at protecting the strategic H8 pipeline that runs through the area,” Mr Mohale said.

He added that construction has been completed.

“Currently only the power connection is outstanding and the site will be commissioned shortly,” Mr Mohale said.

Rand Water has a servitude for the H8 pipeline, which runs through the property.

“Rand Water was not informed that there were graves on the site. There are no graves on the servitude and Rand Water was not informed otherwise,” Mr Mohale said.

History

In 2012, the NEWS, reported that little seemed to be known about the Linksfield Mixed Use Development and questions asked by the NEWS went unanswered.

The proposed development was published in a Government tender bulletin in December 2011 and called for proposals for an integrated residential development on the remaining portion of Rietfontein Farm.

Pre-qualification requirements stated that development proposals should include an array of housing opportunities, such as affordable housing units.

At the time, the 171-hectare property situated between Club Street, the N3, Linksfield Road and Modderfontein Road was worth an estimated R80-million.

Some of the concerns raised by the ward 19 councillor, Clr Bill Rundle, at the time included the impact the development would have on traffic for the surrounding suburbs of Edenvale and Bedfordview.

“There are a large number of indigenous plants on the property, some which cannot be found anywhere else in Johannesburg, including a rare miniature orchid,” said Clr Rundle.

Other fears for the development of the property include rumours of animal carcasses infected with anthrax, which were buried on the property.

He also raised concerns of what will be done with the approximately 7 000 graves on the property.

It is believed that some 7 000 victims of smallpox, leprosy, plague and syphilis were buried in the cemetery, divided into black, white, Jewish and infant sections.

It is believed that a large portion of the proposed development would take place over the cemetery.

In 1904, the plague broke out in Johannesburg and more than 1 000 patients were treated at Sizwe Hospital.

Those who died were buried in a separate plague cemetery on the grounds, in graves demarcated only by numbers. In 1939, an outbreak of smallpox hit Johannesburg.

Patients were dying at the rate of 20 to 30 a day and were buried on the property.

As a precaution against the disease lingering, quick lime was poured into the graves.

The leprosy and Jewish cemeteries have not been located and the hospital’s burial register has been missing for years.