Vandals steal couples’ ashes from Secunda Cemetery

Imagine the horror when you find not one, but both parents’ ashes missing from their resting place.

This is what happened to local resident, Marie du Plessis, who went to visit her parents’ ashes that were placed on the wall of remembrance at the local cemetery.

She visited and placed flowers on the wall of remembrance every six months. In her most recent visit, she came across a vandalised wall with the ashes of both of her parents missing.

Du Plessis explained that after their mother died at the beginning of 2021, her brother had concreted both boxes of their parents’ ashes inside the wall of remembrance in hopes that it will not be tampered with.

However, thieves broke through the concrete and still stole the ashes.

“The concrete was completely removed and the boxes of ashes were gone. There was also a family photo and a red rose missing. It was completely cleaned out. All that remained was their stone,” said Du Plessis.

She said her brother had since spoken to a municipal worker at the cemetery but was told to open a case at the police station, which he has now done.

A case of tampering has been opened.

“As Christian, we know this is not my parents and just their ashes, but the thing is, this was their resting place.

“It is upsetting. It is not just my parents’ ashes missing, there are a few other peoples’ loved ones whose resting places have been vandalised and ashes removed,” said Du Plessis.

An emotional Du Plessis said it feels as if they had lost both parents all over again.

“Last year was a terrible year for us. We had lost my mother at the beginning of the year, in August we lost my mother-in-law and towards the end of August, I lost my husband.

“You just start dealing with the whole loss process, but now we have to go through it again,” said Du Plessis.

She said there is no way that she will place the ashes of her husband or other family members on the wall of remembrance at the cemetery, with all the vandalism going on there.

The family has since taken the only thing that was left behind, the stone, for safe keeping.

Not even the dead are safe from thieving and vandalising scoundrels.

Many of the deceased who had been laid to rest in graves or on the wall of remembrance are people who paid their due to society, were tax-paying residents and deserve to be left at peace.

In response, Lucky Mhlongo, acting head of communications for Govan Mbeki Municipality said: “GMM condemns the criminal acts of vandalism at the Secunda Cemetery.”

He said that any damage to a tombstone is the responsibility of the grave owner and that the municipality does not employ security guards for the cemetery.

“Vandalism is a crime and should be reported to the police. The protection of public facilities is a societal responsibility,” said Mhlongo.

Members of the community are urged to keep an eye out for vandals and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement agencies.

Residents can also report these incidents to the GMM’s By-Law Enforcement Unit on 017 620 6327 or through the call centre on 0800 6000 01/2/4.