Tombstone fractures child’s legs
Two-year-old Ceano Saul from Dawn Park fractured both his legs, which landed him in the Tambo Memorial Hospital, after a tombstone fell on him at the Rondebult Cemetery, on November 15.
According to his grandmother, Cecilia Saul, little Ceano was probably hanging onto the tombstone, playing around like boys do, when the loose top part of the stone fell on him.
“If the stone was bigger, the damage caused could’ve been worse,” says Cacilia.
Saul wants to make families who visit the cemetery with little children aware of the loose tombstones.
“The metro contractors in charge of the cemetery must look at the stones that are loose and demarcate the area. There are a lot of tombstones at the cemetery that have already fallen over.”
Ceano was discharged on November 27.
“He can’t walk yet, thus he is sailing on his buttocks. He is afraid to use his legs and might have to go for physiotherapy.”
According to the Ekurhuleni metro spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, the metro regrets the incident which took place, resulting in the injury of a young child.
However, says Gadebe, the Cemetery and Crematorium By-Laws state that everyone who enters the cemetery does so at their own risk, and the metro is not responsible for any damage or losses that take place at the cemetery.
“The same by-laws contain all important information related to the erection of tombstones and families can use these by-laws to monitor or challenge the workmanship of the stonemasons,” says Gadebe.
These by-laws are available on the metro’s website and at the cemetery offices by request. – @IschkeBoksburg
