Residents feel the Bakerton Cemetery has been completely neglected by the City of Ekurhuleni.
According to residents, sections of the surrounding cement fences are regularly carried across the road to the adjacent informal settlement, even during the day, and no action is taken by the police when they are called.
According to them, this has left the cemetery vulnerable and has led to the vandalisation and theft of many tombstones.
These stolen tombstones are also carried across the road.
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The Advertiser started reporting on the Bakerton Cemetery in 2019, during which time the City explained that they needed R3-million to completely replace the fence.
The municipality failed to respond to subsequent inquiries in 2020.
The Geduld Cemetery has also been neglected and various members of the community have formed CPFs to patrol and clean the cemeteries, however, only so much can be done and these civilian efforts are not financially sustainable.
Uncut grass, vandalised tombstones and rampant vagrancy have many residents avoiding the Geduld Cemetery altogether.
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In this year’s budget speech, MMC for Finance, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, made no mention of any funds allocated towards maintaining cemeteries, however, the cemetery tariff will be increased by six per cent to residents and 10 per cent to non-residents.
“The tariff for cemeteries and crematoriums was not increased last year although the cost therefore increased,” he said.
Comment from the City of Ekurhuleni will be published once it has been received.
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