SECUNDA – Overflowing rubbish bins, plastic cold drink bottles and beer cans greet you when one goes to visit a loved one’s final resting place at the local graveyard.
It is heart wrenching to see the cemetery littered and vandalised.
A concerned resident brought the matter to the Ridge Times’ attention after they visited a loved one’s grave and saw the grave stone had been damaged.
“Someone threw my uncle’s tombstone over, just left it there like that. It looks as if someone had been drinking and partying there by his grave,” said Mr Pieter Nel.
Mr Nel visited the grave site two months prior and everything was still intact, however their recent visit to the grave was very upsetting.
“We are extremely upset that someone could do such a thing. Not only was my uncle’s grave vandalised but a few other graves as well where the crosses have been thrown over.
“It was a shock as my father is also buried in the same cemetery. Thankfully my father’s grave is still fine.
“This has really upset me. This is our loved ones’ final resting place!”
Mr Nel also told of how the grave of his girlfriend’s grandfather has also been vandalised.
“I had to remove her from the site, she was too upset to see her grandfather’s grave look the way it did.”
“It is mind boggling how people cannot have respect for the deceased. How does one party, vandalise and carry on like this in a graveyard and have no regard for the dead?” ended Mr Nel.
The Ridge Times sent an email and WhatsApp to Mr Benzi Soko, spokesman for the Govan Mbeki Municipality, for comment.
No response from the relevant departments was received at the time of going to press.
