Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle has raised concerns regarding the condition of the Eighth Avenue Cemetery, where some graves date back more than 100 years.
The cemetery, which is no longer in use, is located between Van Riebeek Avenue and Eighth Avenue just above Mynhardt Street.
Rundle said the cemetery hasn’t been in use since the 1950s and said problems have existed at the property before he was a ward councillor.
Although Rundle managed to get the property locked in 2012, he said the locks have since been removed and the Van Riebeek Avenue pedestrian gate appears to be removed.
ALSO READ: Kloof Road shooting: investigations underway
Additionally, Rundle was able to get the City of Ekurhuleni to maintain the property at least once a month.
When the NEWS and Rundle visited the municipal property on August 31, various items, including plastic debris, a broken couch, a trolley and an assortment of personal belongings, were strewn throughout the cemetery.
A leak, which Rundle believes is sewage, had turned a portion of the cemetery into a quagmire while rats could be seen running around the property.
Several marble tombstones were either moved or damaged.
Rundle believes the culprits responsible for damage and debris are members of the homeless community.
He said during a recent visit to the cemetery to visit the grave of a friend’s family member, several homeless individuals were found sleeping among the graves.
He said the property’s condition has worsened because of the lack of maintenance by the municipality.
Rundle believes the Eighth Avenue Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Edenvale and that some of the town’s original residents, Cornish miners, could be buried there.
Tobias Mynhardt, one of Edenvale’s historical figures, was the former owner of Rietfontein Number Nine Farm, the land present-day Edenvale is located on.
Mynhardt subdivided the land, selling portions to Father de Lacey, a leading Johannesburg grocer known only as Mr Amm and the Rietfontein Gold Mining Company.
Rundle said because the cemetery is no longer in use, members of the public may not visit it as often as other cemeteries.
He urged those who do visit the cemetery to report any issues they may come across.
A request for comment was sent to CoE on September 1, requesting comment by September 3 at 13:00.
At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.
Also follow us on:
