Concerns about overgrown graves at Olievenhoutbosch Cemetery and security at Centurion Cemetery have prompted residents to call for improved maintenance and safer conditions at municipal burial grounds ahead of the upcoming local government elections.

For families visiting the graves of loved ones, the concerns are about more than the appearance of cemeteries.

Residents want burial grounds to remain dignified, accessible and safe places to mourn and remember those they have lost.

Centurion resident Juanita Pretorius raised concerns about the condition of Olievenhoutbosch Cemetery after visiting the site on October 4.

Her husband was buried in the cemetery on August 26, and she said the condition of the area, particularly the children’s burial section, had left her distressed.

Pretorius alleged that some graves in the section appeared to have caved in, while others were difficult to see because of overgrown grass.

“It is disgraceful to let loved ones be laid to rest and to return to see the state of the graves as if they should be forgotten,” she said.

She called for graves that appeared to have caved in to be topped up and for the entire cemetery to receive proper upkeep so families could visit their loved ones in a peaceful environment.

Pretorius said she hoped the concerns would encourage political parties contesting the upcoming local government elections to visit cemeteries and assess their condition.

She also called on parties to follow up after the elections to establish whether any improvements had been made, adding that she would like to see better maintenance across all Centurion cemeteries.

Responding to the concerns, Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo stated that the graves in the children’s burial section were not sinking or collapsing.

He explained that soil could settle slightly after a grave had been reopened and that the city topped up the affected graves as needed.

Mashigo acknowledged that vegetation had become overgrown but said increased rainfall had accelerated its growth.

“The cemetery is inspected daily, and maintenance is carried out regularly under the city’s maintenance programme,” he stated.

“The metro’s parks department uses internal teams to cut grass and clear vegetation, but staff shortages and machinery breakdowns sometimes delay scheduled maintenance.”

He confirmed the city manages four cemeteries in Region 4: Olievenhoutbosch, Irene, Laudium and Centurion.

According to Mashigo, all four are included in the department’s maintenance programme.

He said the municipality was responsible for maintaining graves without tombstones, including topping them up with topsoil where necessary, as well as general grass cutting and vegetation maintenance throughout the cemeteries.

“Families are responsible for maintaining graves with tombstones.”

Meanwhile, safety at Centurion Cemetery has also come under scrutiny, with Zwartkop resident Hilary Donalds raising concerns about theft of sections of the perimeter fence and the lack of security.

Donalds said the fence had repeatedly been targeted by thieves, raising concerns about the security of the premises.

She explained that she usually preferred visiting the cemetery in the morning, before midday, to clean and maintain her loved ones’ graves, but did not always feel safe doing so.

In response, Mashigo confirmed that the city is aware of the concerns regarding Centurion Cemetery.

“Theft and vandalism have affected sections of the cemetery’s perimeter fence, as has occurred at several other city cemeteries.”

He said the incidents had been reported and that the city had lodged an insurance claim to facilitate the replacement of the affected fencing.

However, he clarified that the guardhouse near the main entrance had not been vandalised.

Mashigo acknowledged residents’ concerns about safety and said security guards had previously been deployed to protect the premises and deter criminal activity.

However, no security guards are at the site anymore since the metro’s previous physical security guarding contracts expired on September 30.

He added that the city was finalising the allocation of new guards, with security services expected to resume once they had been deployed. Mashigo did not provide the exact time frame for when this would happen.

As the local government elections approach, for Landsberg and Donalds, the hope is that the issues will receive attention beyond election campaigning, with sustained maintenance and security measures ensuring families can visit their loved ones’ graves with dignity and peace of mind.

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