MOKOPANE – Bosveld accompanied Yolande Coetzee, DA Ward Councillor, to the cemetery last Friday.
“Our cemetery is very old. Here are graves from the 1800’s and it is part of our heritage. You want to put your loved ones to rest where it is peaceful, quiet and clean. It must be a place where you love to visit. Our cemetery is overgrown with grass and some of the tombs have fallen in or memorabilia had been stolen. The toilet facilities are also filthy with all the taps, doorknobs, seat covers and door handles stolen. The trash cans are overflowing and rubbish lies between the graves. There is no fence left and criminals can enter the cemetery and plunder the graves without any interference.”
Coetzee said Jabu Mashamaite, Acting Superintendent of Parks and Recreation and Communications, promised he will see to it that the cemetery would be in a pristine condition by Easter this year.
“He also promised the front gate will be replaced but nothing has been done to fulfull these promises and it is now five months later. I suggest more ablution blocks should be built and a strong boundary fence should be erected to help make the cemetery secure. This neglect of the cemetery shows the municipality doesn’t care about the dead. People have sentimental memories for their relatives who are laid to rest here,” Coetzee said.
Bosveld reported in January: “Municipality vows to clean cemetery before Easter.” According to the workers they did not receive any equipment to keep the cemetery in good condition. Their allegations were denied by Mashamaite, and Mogalakwena Municipal Spokesperson, Malesela Selokela during January’s report.
“I think the workers who told you they do not get any equipment was lying and that they might be too lazy to do their work,” Malesela said. The municipality at the time said they are awaiting feedback from the procurement department and asked the community to pardon them on the matter.
By the time of going to print, Bosveld had not yet received feedback from the municipality on why nothing has been done to uphold the promises they made to clean the cemetery.
redaksie.bosvelder@nmgroup.co.za
