Municipality takes on ‘unsightly’ graves

For the first and last time, the municipality has cut overgrown grave sites at Roy Point Cemetery.

In response to complaints from the community earlier this month, Head of Parks, Recreation and Cemeteries, Vish Govender called for an ‘in loco inspection’ last week.

He accompanied a municipal team, tasked to address the unsightly condition of the cemetery.

“We are cutting on the graves even though it isn’t our responsibility. However, we are doing this because of the circumstances here.”

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Mr Govender explained his team’s responsibility was the paths between rows of graves and the general green areas within the cemetery boundaries.

The areas between grave sites themselves do not fall under municipal maintenance.

“People have a duty to visit their buried loved ones. They are actually meant to remove flowers according to the by-laws, but instead you get people who complain even though they haven’t been to the cemetery for years.”

According to Mr Govender, bringing in multiple municipal teams to address overgrown graves and fill in sinking burial sites was a once-off.

He said any more action in this regard would delay other duties of his department.

“If everyone played their part, the cemetery would look this good always. Members of the community purchase the grave site, so surely they have a responsibility?”

Mr Govender cautioned the community against hiring fly-by-night contractors to erect headstones, another problem prevalent at Roy Point.

He further urged residents to play their part in keeping graves presentable.

“When is this going to end? When will people realise they can’t point fingers at the municipality for these issues? Staff are already being pulled away from other work,” he concluded.