No more rest for the dead

POLOKWANE – It was only a matter of time before the very people using the Polokwane cemetery in Dahl Street as a haven to share the spoils of their crimes decided to vandalise and steal anything valuable at the cemetery itself.

On Monday police arrived at the cemetery following reports of theft to find that some 130m high voltage electrical cable had been stolen from the cemetery. Furthermore, one electrical box had been damaged and another destroyed.

At the Muslim section of the cemetery, the Muslim prayer building had been vandalised, with some of the copper and brass taps and pipes stolen.

Polokwane police spokesperson Capt Ntobeng Phala said there was no confirmation of when the theft and vandalism occurred, but it was believed to have happened over the past weekend.

Phala said the police were still investigating the matter but could conclude that there had been more than one person involved in the theft and vandalism.

He said the police had not yet ruled out the involvement of members of the security company responsible for ensuring the safety of people and property at the cemetery.

He said a case of breaking and entering as well as theft were being investigated.

A manager from the security company responsible for the cemetery did not wish to be identified or give comment on the matter, except to say the company was busy with an internal investigation and would respond later.

Muslim burial committee representatives who did not wish to be named in the interest of privacy, were on the scene, and said there had been several times during which funerals (held at night) had been held and no security personnel were present.

They said the burial committee had also received reports of attempted theft from vehicles belonging to mourners. Grave headstones had also been vandalised, with the metal plates on the headstones being broken off.

“We have been suffering damages for some time now and there seems to be no end to it. When criminals go as far as damaging grave headstones, then they are going too far. Mourners no longer know where their loved one’s grave is situated. The emotional distress is something that you can never give a monetary value, and it cannot be removed,” one of the Muslim burial committee representatives said.

A complete estimation of this latest damage had not yet been made, but the cost would definitely be high into tens of thousands of rands.

The manager of a scrap metal business in the city, who did not wish to be identified due to an ongoing investigation, said all the scrap metal dealers in the city were on high alert and would not buy any copper without a police certificate stating where the copper came from and that the person selling the copper was the owner thereof.

Phala said the Polokwane cemetery had long been a thorn in the police’s side because it was so isolated, and an ideal hiding place for criminals.

He requested residents with information to report it to the nearest police station.