Etwatwa residents gather to clean Phumlani Cemetery

Residents of Etwatwa and Daveyton recently rolled up their sleeves to clean Phumlani Cemetery due to overgrown grass.

According to the organiser of the cleanup, Sean Motha, they noticed the unkempt grass three months ago but thought the municipality would attend to it.

“Seeing that nothing was happening, we decided to clean the cemetery ourselves. Our family members and friends are buried here so it is painful to witness this place like this.

“I am pleased with the support we received from the community who came in numbers to help. This shows that they really care.

“We received donations from people who were unable to attend and we also contributed to buy cleaning materials, as well as to hire mowers,” said Motha.

Steven Tshabalala of Sikhalo funeral directors said: “As a funeral parlour, the situation of overgrown grass at the cemetery also affected us. When families called us for unveiling ceremonies, it became difficult to find their loved one’s graves because they were hidden.”

Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said cemeteries across the city are being regularly maintained including Phumlani and other Benoni facilities. However, with the excessive rain conditions recently and quick regrowth, contractors are experiencing a delay in terms of turnaround times resulting in backlogs.

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