RESIDENTS accuse their municipality of ignoring a crisis that’s about to happen.
They said the condition of the Sada graveyard in Whittlesea, near Queenstown, Eastern Cape is getting worse but nothing has been done about it.
Almost all the fencing has been stolen, graves have been vandalised and space to bury the dead is running out.
When the SunTeam visited the graveyard, animals were grazing around the graves and there was no visible fencing.
People said they had seen kids playing among the dead while new graves are being dug near the reservoir.
Resident Anathi Flepu’s five relatives are buried there, including his parents.
He said: “My brothers are also buried there. Even if we wanted to build steel fences around their graves, we risk having them stolen. It’s wrong that we must chase away cows and goats from our families’ graves. I wish the municipality would build a fence like those at the Queenstown cemeteries. We are all under one municipality.”
Ward 24 resident Khaya Gwana said: “Our municipality does not have a clear plan. We wouldn’t be surprised if our drinking water was contaminated by the graves nearby. If a water pipe bursts, it will be a real mess.”
Lukhanji Municipality’s unit manager Bongani Mngese said: “The issue of the graveyard is being attended to.
“Plans are underway to get land for new gravesites. We plan to negotiate with traditional leaders who own land nearby. This issue cannot be used as a political football or for opportunistic reasons.”
