Springs Cemetery Community Project aims to make Bakerton and Geduld cemeteries safer and cleaner

Suné Bester, Thulani Simelane and various others have decided to team up and clean the Geduld and Bakerton cemeteries.

The project is called the Springs Cemetery Community Project, and is aimed at restoring the Geduld and Bakerton cemeteries.

Various CPFs from sector six have joined this effort and there will be a monthly patrol at the cemetery.

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These patrols will make sure that visitors feel safe when visiting their dead loved ones.

Many companies such as ProSafe and New Era Scrap Metal and Recyclers have donated money to hire workers to cut the grass and remove the litter.

These companies are also providing them with tools such as rakes and weed eaters to get the job done.

They also aim to fix some of the headstones that have been vandalised over the years.

Since 2013, the Addie has been reporting on the constant vandalism, theft and vagrancy that has plagued these cemeteries.

The cemeteries also look abandoned and neglected and this irks many residents.

In Geduld, one of the old buildings has turned into a homeless shelter where alleged drug use and dealing are taking place.

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At both cemeteries, the palisade fences are being stolen and carried away, leaving the sites without any security.

People no longer want to visit these cemeteries as they feel unsafe and their dead loved ones disrespected.

“People want to visit their dead relatives in peace and quiet and they want to feel safe.

“This cemetery used to be beautiful and safe, but now hardly anyone comes here anymore”, says Bester.

For now, the Springs Cemetery Community Project will be focusing on Geduld and will focus on Bakerton once their team is large enough.

Bester says she hopes they can get as many people involved as possible, and aims to restore the cemeteries to their former glory.

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