Residents fed up with grave vandals

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A Mabopane councillor has condemned incidents of vandalism at the local cemetery.

Approximately 20 headstones were damaged at the Klipgat Cemetery near Odi Prison recently.

This was the second attack in two years, and has caused damage worth thousands of rands.

Tshepo Motaung, the newly elected councillor of Ward 22 in Mabopane, was outraged and said those responsible should face the full might of the law.

“I think this is absolutely disgraceful,” he said.

Motaung blamed nyaope addicts and said the problem started in 2014.

“They broke down the palisade fence and took the metal to scrapyards to sell for money to support their habits,” he said.

He said getting the police to patrol around the graveyards was going to be his first priority as councillor.

Motaung said if the perpetrators were not dealt with urgently, he feared others would follow their lead and vandalise more headstones in the area.

Resident Abel Nyathi said his grandfather was buried at the cemetery.

“Luckily his grave was untouched, but it saddens me deeply that this has happened.”

Motaung appealed to residents to help the police find the culprits.

“This is a despicable crime and one that causes great distress to families who have already suffered the loss of a loved one.”

“I am sure residents will be keen to support the police in their efforts to identify the culprits and bring them to justice.”

Another resident, Obed Rabapane, said residents were on a witch hunt for alleged nyaope boys who gathered at the graveyard to use drugs.

Rabapane said residents were angry that several graves, headstones and ornaments had been damaged at the cemetery, and especially since this had increased in the past few weeks.

“I question the perpetrators’ mentality and upbringing. I’d call them scumbags,” said Rabapane.

“I just can’t believe these kinds of people exist. What joy could they possibly get out of destroying graves?”

He said the residents were furious and had set a trap for the nyaope boys who gathered at the graveyard.

Police spokesperson Constable Petunia Chabangu recently warned residents to be on the lookout for criminals hiding in the same graveyard.

Chabangu said the police were investigating cases of robbery and theft out of cars at the cemetery.

“Criminals hide in the unkempt graveyard and target people coming to lay wreaths, clean the graves or bury their loved ones,” said Chabangu.

“They break into cars and steal valuables such as handbags, cellphones, and remove wheels.”

She said the police were following up on some leads and hoped to make arrests soon.

“People must beware where they park their cars.”

She said most of the crimes occurred during the week.

mk/np