Lowveld Tombstones customers face losing their money after the company’s factory was looted on August 22.

According to the company’s operational manager, Devan Pillay, everything in the factory was stolen, from machinery and electrical equipment to roofing sheets and rented fuel tanks, leaving the facility stripped.

John Meintjes of ACS Spartan Security told Lowvelder that guards were deployed to the building by Nedbank, which had repossessed the property. By the time they got to the site, however, everything had been stolen.

Meintjes said guards erected signs to indicate that the property did not belong to Lowveld Tombstones, because members of the public were still visiting the site looking for the owners.

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Orders at risk

Pillay told Lowvelder that the company might not be able to fulfil tombstone orders due to the factory theft.

He noted that the company had previously opened several cases at Nelspruit Police Station following theft at the business premises.

“We called the police and they refused to assist us after numerous calls,” Pillay alleged.

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Police investigation under way

He said he was unaware that the property had been repossessed, adding that Lowveld Tombstones was renting the premises.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that cases of burglary and theft have been opened and investigations are under way.

No arrests have been made yet.

“Regarding the allegation that the police did not attend to the complaint, we urge the victim to lodge a formal complaint so that the matter can be investigated internally,” he said.