Greening team to the rescue at cemetery

The Lala Ngoxolo Cemetery in Crystal Park received a much-needed facelift thanks to the Etwatwa Greening Team on March 14.

Twenty-one volunteers worked the whole day, clearing debris and removing overgrown vegetation to restore the cemetery’s dignity.

Vusi Matladi, the founder of the Etwatwa Greening Team, said, “We decided to clean the cemetery because it is in a suburban area and along a busy road many investors use. For them, seeing the cemetery in a bad state sends the wrong impression. It is important to take care of the graveyard.”

Matladi said the initiative also aimed to create a more welcoming environment for visitors before the Easter holidays.

“As Good Friday approaches, many families visit cemeteries to pay respects to their loved ones. However, overgrown grass often makes it difficult for visitors to find graves, particularly those without tombstones. Some families end up not seeing their loved ones’ graves due to the tall grass,” he explained.

Before the clean-up began, snake catcher Chris Mthombeni from the Snake Pit Reptile and Farm Park did a snake safety workshop for the volunteers after a recent social media post showed a snake lurking in the overgrown grass at the cemetery.

Matladi thanked The Gauteng Department of Environment for donating gloves, litter pickers, 1 200 plastic bags, steel rakes and masks.

He also acknowledged the Department of Forestry and Fisheries’ donation of 2 000 heavy-duty plastic bags.

In addition, Enhle Mdakane, Miss Eco Teen International 2024, donated bottled water to keep the volunteers hydrated.

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