Overgrown grass that is waist-high, which is an environment perfect for snakes and rodents; infestations of big ants that bite; flies; a vandalised cemetery building taken over by vagrants; neglected graves; and a vandalised wall of remembrance with missing ashes is what you get at the Joe Slovo Secunda Cemetery.

Ridge Times received a public notice issued by the Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) about the transgressions of cemetery by-laws at this cemetery.

This document states that GMM has noted, with concern, the increasing number of unauthorised installations and transgressions regarding memorial stones at the cemetery.

Upon visiting this site, it is clear that cleaning and maintenance have not been done for some time, and no municipal workers were seen. The only graves that are clean and have had the grass cut are those visited by loved ones.

A grieving mother
Shaun Pelser was a young man, father, son, fiancé and brother who died in a tragic vehicle accident in January 2025. His wish was to be buried and to give back to the earth on which God has placed him.

His family cleans up his resting place at weekends. The grave is neatly sectioned off with bricks and stones, a cross and a polished tombstone, grass cut, and flowers laid.

Mother, Jackie Pelser, told the Ridge Times it hurts every time to see the state of the cemetery. It is even harder for her to leave her son there, knowing he is surrounded by such horrendous and unsafe conditions.

Pelser said the family feels compelled to maintain her son’s grave, as GMM has failed not only to maintain his resting place but also the cemetery as a whole.

“I paid for that piece of ground in which my child is buried. That is my ground. It is supposed to be a place of peace where we can sit and spend time with our loved ones. I promised my child I would take care of him till the day I die,” said Pelser.

She said they have to make his grave look more presentable before they can spend time with him and mourn. Shaun has a now two-year-old daughter that the family take with them to visit his grave and place flowers; however, they feel that it is a safety hazard for her.

“It is unsafe. You can’t walk there. I had to ask my husband to make a path so I could get to my son. You have to watch your back all the time to see if there isn’t somebody lurking in the bushes,” said Pelser.

She said she cannot go to his grave alone because it is dangerous.

“He was the most incredible child, and he deserves to be in a neat, clean, safe environment. Some people don’t care and just leave their loved ones there and forget about them. Many times, I just want to clean the other graves and make things look right, but I can’t, I am not allowed.”

“At one time, I reached out to the community to stand together and to come help clean, but I got nowhere,” said Pelser.

Although the maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery are the municipality’s responsibility, she said people with loved ones buried there should take greater initiative to clean the graves.

AfriForum clean-up
Jan du Plessis said they had previously tried to clean up the cemetery but were threatened with arrest by GMM Law Enforcement.

“We were told we are not allowed to clean there and were threatened with arrest if we even just prune a tree,” said Du Plessis.

He asks GMM why the public cannot do anything, yet the municipality is not fulfilling its mandate.

“Why are GMM not enforcing laws in places where it is necessary, instead of mocking people who want to make a change in their community by cleaning up. There is no maintenance from GMM,” said Du Plessis.

He said that all the cemeteries in GMM are in poor condition. GMM spokesperson Donald Green said he is not aware of the arrest threat and will follow up with law enforcement.

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Property rates
The cost of an actual burial, including the purchase of a grave plot, digging, and related services, is at the owner’s expense. However, municipalities require a reliable source of revenue to provide essential services and fulfil their responsibilities.

According to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs website, https://www.cogta.gov.za, property rates are an important source of general revenue for municipalities.

Revenue from property rates is used to fund services that benefit the community as a whole rather than individual households.

These include installing and maintaining streets, roads, sidewalks, lighting, and storm drainage facilities; operating parks, recreational facilities and cemeteries.

GMM public notice
The public is reminded that all activities within municipal cemeteries are governed by the GMM Cemetery By-Law. According to GMM, failure to adhere to these regulations undermines the dignity and maintenance of these sacred spaces.

Notable Transgressions Include (but are not limited to):

• Unauthorised Installations (Section 40(1)): No memorial stone may be installed without prior written consent from the Office-in-Charge.

• Prohibited Working Hours (Section 40(4)): It is a violation to perform work on tombstones on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays, or outside the hours of 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays.

• Inappropriate Inscriptions (Section 41(3)): Inscriptions containing insulting, negative, or racial connotations are strictly prohibited.

• Berm Section Violations (Section 45(1)(h) and 47(2)): In the “Berm Section” of the cemetery, no kerbs demarcating a grave and no slabs covering a grave are permitted. These structures interfere with municipal maintenance and uniform aesthetics.

Enforcement and Penalties (Section 55):
The municipality is empowered to issue formal written notices to any person in contravention. If a notice is ignored, the municipality reserves the right to:

• Perform the necessary work to rectify the failure (e.g., removal of unauthorised structures).
• Recover the full costs of such work from the owner or person responsible.
• Take any further legal action deemed necessary to ensure compliance.

Members of the public who are aware that they have installed structures in transgression of these by-laws, particularly at Joe Slovo Cemetery, are urged to voluntarily rectify these failures immediately.

Taking corrective action now will prevent the issuance of formal notices and the potential recovery of costs associated with municipal intervention.

The full version of the Cemetery By-Law is available for download on the Govan Mbeki Municipality Website at www.govanmbeki.gov.za/wp-content/Bylaws/bylaw_cemetery2025.pdf.