As a way to combat the high rate of crime around the Gedlembane section, community members gathered on Saturday to clean up the cemetery. This initiative was established after some community members had complained about criminal activities happening in the cemetery.
According to the ward councillor, Dumsane Gonrover Masilela, this was done to reduce the rate of crime while simultaneously promoting a clean environment. “Due to different cultural beliefs, some people do not come back to clean the cemetery after they have buried their loved ones. This leads to the place becoming overgrown and criminals use that to their advantage.
They hide there in the morning and evenings when our sisters and brothers are going to and coming from work.
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They rape and rob them of their belongings. They also hide what they steal at the cemetery,” he explained. Nhlanhla Tsela, one of the community members, said he joined the initiative as a way to try to protect women and children against the ongoing crime in the area. “This cemetery is turning into an illegal dumping site. Some community members throw dispose of their rubbish here, which works to the advantage of these criminals. There is a school nearby and our children pass here every day.
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This exposes them to the dangers of crime. We are only trying to protect them. We are sending out a message to these criminals that we are watching them,” said Tsela. He encouraged the community to make use of the dumping site provided by the municipality to keep their community clean and green at all times.
