WATCH: Pretoria east cemetery in sorry state

Residents have raised concerns over the lack of maintenance and upkeep at the cemetery on Matt Street in Pretorius Park in Pretoria east.

They are outraged by the lack of care for their loved ones’ final resting place, and concerned over safety and vandalism.

Currently, there’s no boundary wall on the western side of the cemetery, allowing Cemetery view dwellers to gain access to the site whenever they want.

The cemetery is opposite the informal settlement, and mourners are allegedly harassed by informal settlement dwellers.

This has led to residents feeling unsafe when visiting the site.

The cemetery has now become a source of heartache and worry for families who have laid their loved ones to rest there.

With the overgrown grass covering graves and headstones and lack of overall maintenance, the site has become unsafe and unwelcoming.

Some residents cannot find the graves of their loved ones as headstones are covered by grass.

Last year, locals were urged to save the cemetery through a CUP initiative, which would have seen private partnerships assist the city with general upkeep and landscaping, as well as building of a wall to make it safer for mourners.

However, ward 101 councillor Malcolm de Klerk said the building of the wall has stalled.

“I still haven’t had any comment or feedback from the municipality over the grass cutting that’s long overdue.”

He said there will be no wall or barrier, because the city lost out on the deal because of red tape.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said grass in parts of the cemetery was cut during the second week of December.

“The reactive maintenance, following the continuous rain from December 22 to mid-January, is continuing.”

Mashigo said there is a plan to continue grass cutting in February with the metro’s internal team.

“It is important to note that in previous years there were grass cutting tenders in place where the city made use of the external service providers to join the internal teams to cut grass in all spaces, however, those were stopped in August 2024.”

He said litter collecting has been scheduled for every Monday and Friday. Tree pruning is an ongoing upkeep that is done on an ad hoc basis.

The maintenance is being undertaken by urban management teams across parts of Tshwane when residents raise grievances over poorly maintained grave sites in the past months.

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