Although the Carletonville Graveyard is supposed to be a place of respect, it is now being turned into a rubbish dump.

The Carletonville Herald visited the graveyard on June 19, June 26, and July 6. During all of the visits, empty bottles were strewn all across the terrain. Heaps of empty bottles, many of them empty glass beer bottles, are lying close to the road near the toilets, while others are lying deeper into the graveyard.

There are also pieces of plastic and even barrier tape stuck to trees and shrubs.

The road to the graveyard is also covered with rubbish.

There are heaps of rubbish from the turn-off to the graveyard in Agate Street in the new industrial area, almost all the way to where contractors are busy rebuilding the road.

Except for garden and household refuse, an increasing number of people are dumping building rubble and even bigger items, such as used couches. On June 19, a man dumping his rubbish was unbothered when the Herald caught him in the act, which shows that he realises that there will be no consequences for his actions.

Although the Herald asked the Merafong City Local Municipality’s marketing and communication manager, Temba Fezani, about the issue on June 22, no feedback has been received. The municipality also did not clean up the rubbish in the meantime.

The Herald asked, amongst other things, whether the municipality cannot put up dustbins in the graveyard or no-dumping signs along the road.