Nasaret’s departed just cannot rest in peace due to vandalism, theft and a general lack of maintenance.

The issue came up again during Monday’s council sitting, when the DA’s Morgan Bruiners demanded to know what the municipality plans to do about ‘restoring and maintaining the cemetery’s dignity’.

In a written parliamentary question, Bruiners said the municipality’s failure to maintain and secure the cemetery had resulted in increased crime.

Bruiners believes that by demolishing the ablution facilities, a decline in criminal activities, mostly drug use, could be achieved.

He also pressed the administration on the fact that the cemetery has no water and that paving and fencing are being carried away by thieves almost daily.

In response, the Department of Community Services said that constant misuse and vandalism of buildings in all cemeteries has become so dire that the council must consider demolishing several structures, with a report heading to the council in future.

The municipality said that while there are service connections at the Nasaret cemetery, taps and pipes are continually being stolen, ‘making it impossible to have running water’.

The municipality has reported the theft of paving stones to the police, but the investigation has been closed due to a lack of evidence.

Furthermore, an insurance claim to replace the paving by the municipality had been declined.

Unfortunately, paving isn’t considered a priority compared to other dwindling services.

The same happened with the stolen fences, with insurers declining a payout and police closing their investigations due to a lack of evidence.

In both instances, a request for finances will be made again.

Day to day maintenance like the cutting of grass and weeding ‘should be under control with the turn of the season and stop of excessive raining season we experiences (sic)’.

Bruiners said ‘it’s all speak and no action’ from the administration, and that Nasaret residents would hold the ANC to account in the coming local government elections, following the party’s loss of an outright majority in 2021.