Stefaan Molofe, a resident, was informed about his aunt’s damaged tombstone by a family member who was passing through the cemetery last Friday.
This is not the first time his aunt’s tombstone has been vandalised and he says he has had enough of this vandalism going on at the cemetery.
Read: Metro gives answers on broken tombstones in cemetery
“The cemetery has no security guards, no gate and some of the palisade fencing has been removed, allowing passers-by to frequent the cemetery as they please.
“This allows even criminals and substance abusers the freedom to do as they please,” he says.
What angers him the most is that as Africans they spend a lot of money to buy tombstones and conduct unveiling ceremonies only to have people come and damage them.
“This is the second time my aunt’s tombstone has been vandalised. A few years back the same thing happened and as a family we decided to purchase a new one. And now we are sitting with the same problem again.
“A tombstone symbolises respect for the dead and serves as a remembrance for the remaining family to know exactly where their loved ones are buried,” explains Molefe.
Read: See photos: Residents disappointed with metro’s response on cemetery
Molefe adds that the metro needs to do something to ensure that no more tombstones are vandalised at the cemetery.
“The dignity of this cemetery needs to be revived because our ancestors are here and some struggle veterans are buried here.
“I appeal to the metro to attend to this problem, because some people don’t even know that their relatives tombstones have been removed or stolen,” he adds.
Read: Dignity restored at KwaThema Cemetery
