Residents launch programme to restore Pretoria East Cemetery
The formation of a community upliftment programme for the cemetery looks to clean the overgrown grass, maintain toilets, and work on safety, such as building a boundary wall in the long run.
A group of concerned residents in the east of Pretoria has embarked on a community upliftment programme, an initiative aimed at restoring and rehabilitating the Pretoria East Cemetery on Matt Street.
The rehabilitation was initiated by the metro, calling for the community’s co-operation to help curb illegal dumping at the east cemetery.
The cemetery has fallen into neglect, with overgrown grass, litter, illegal dumping, and growing safety concerns, leaving families distressed.
“We have friends and loved ones buried at the Pretoria East Cemetery. Each time we visited, we saw overgrown grass, weeds, litter, and serious safety concerns. It is heartbreaking to see a place meant for remembrance and peace falling into neglect,” said Dana Ashoori, one of the organisers.
Ashoori explained that this personal connection inspired her to take action and work towards restoring the dignity of the site.
“We believe cemeteries are important heritage sites that deserve care and respect,” she added.
“There is currently no boundary wall between the cemetery and the nearby informal settlement, which means anyone can enter or leave freely,” Ashoori said.
The group’s short-term goals include improving safety and security measures, organising clean-up days, removing rubbish, trimming vegetation, laying new grass in bare areas, and maintaining the toilets.
The long-term vision is to build a secure boundary wall, establish regular maintenance, improve signage, and eventually construct a chapel where families can hold memorial services.
At present, only two members are actively driving the project and are appealing to the wider community to get involved.
“Support can come in many forms, such as providing tools and equipment like rakes, gloves, refuse bags or mowers. We also need help with transport for debris removal, building materials for the wall and chapel, or simply volunteering on clean-up days. Even spreading awareness of our cause will go a long way,” Ashoori said.
The metro said the community’s co-operation is vital in protecting the dignity of burial sites.
It implored residents to get involved, as this will help deter crime.
The community previously raised concerns over the lack of maintenance and upkeep at the cemetery on Matt Street in Pretorius Park.
According to metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, the municipality strongly condemned the dumping of waste and building material in cemeteries, describing the act as ‘truly objectionable and unacceptable’.
“Dumping material in an area meant to provide a dignified, lasting resting place is a callous act that tarnishes the reputation of the cemetery,” Mashigo said.
He said society and organisations need to work with the metro to combat this crime.
“The demands and expectations on the city increase daily, while the ability and desire by residents to pay is diminished. Community members cannot have this expectation if there is no willingness to assist in identifying these parties.”
Mashigo added that residents can play a key role in addressing the problem by reporting illegal dumping as soon as it happens.
“The city’s usual by-laws on illegal dumping are applicable, but catching people in the act is the biggest challenge. We appeal to the community to take pictures or video evidence of illegal dumping so the city can act on actionable intelligence,” he said.
He stressed that lasting solutions depend on co-operation between officials and the community.
“People who dump are part of the community, and the community knows each other. We need to work together and assist us in identifying the perpetrators,” he said.
While the metro has a scheduled cleaning programme that runs two to three times a year, Mashigo confirmed that resources had to be reprioritised to deal with the recent dumping incident outside of this cycle.
He said security remains a challenge due to limited resources, but discussions are underway with the TMPD to increase patrols and expand the use of CCTV cameras in the coming weeks.
Anyone interested in contributing to the restoration of Pretoria East Cemetery can contact Heli Konstant on 082 853 8472 or Dana Ashoori on 082 342 8233.
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