Loss of respect for departed leads to dumping in cemetery
Tshwane vows to clamp down on illegal dumping at the Pretoria East cemetery, after residents raised alarm over growing piles of waste and alleged collusion by officials.
Residents in the east of Pretoria feel cemeteries are no longer being respected due to the increasing incidents of illegal dumping.
They said they felt as though the community had lost respect for the Pretoria East Cemetery, while access control was considered weak as people were able to come and dump their household waste and construction rubble.
The western side of the cemetery doesn’t have a boundary wall and the eastern side has now been turned into an illegal dumping site.
A resident who lives near the cemetery and asked to remain anonymous claimed there is a beneficial element between officials who let people dump at the cemetery.
“There are officials from Tshwane who I have seen letting people into the cemetery to dump. The security as well is not doing enough, they do not search the vehicles, especially bakkies and mini trucks.”
He added that when he confronted some of the individuals dumping rubbish during a walk through the area, they told him they had been given permission.
“It’s disgusting. A cemetery is a place of peace, where our loved ones rest. At this rate, people will avoid visiting due to the stench and the disrespect,” he said.
According to the resident, complaints about the situation have been falling on deaf ears.
“We’ve been reporting this to the city since March, but nothing has changed. If Tshwane manages access properly, it could curb the dumping problem.”
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said they will enforce strict access control and regular monitoring of vehicles accessing the cemetery.
“The city does not promote nor condone illegal dumping. The security personnel will be more vigilant to prevent further dumping, and a clean-up will be arranged.”
He said a clean-up will be arranged to address the current challenges, and the city will employ stricter access control measures.
Mashigo confirmed that the persistent water leak in Section EF, which was reported in March, along with several others in the area, has been repaired.
He said the issue was formally reported and addressed by the city’s internal water and sanitation department.
“The leak that was at Section EF has been repaired, along with other continuous leaks in the area,” said Mashigo.
He acknowledged the strain such issues place on both infrastructure and resources.
“Water leakage has a negative impact on water wastage and causes damage to the city’s infrastructure,” Mashigo explained.
While no specific timeline was provided for future preventative measures, he assured residents that water-related issues would continue to be dealt with as they arise.
“All water issues have been resolved and will continue to be addressed as they happen,” he said.
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