RESIDENTS of Ga-Rankuwa’s Tsunami region in Tshwane are outraged by the ongoing criminal activities that occur in the nearby cemetery and surrounding areas.
The Ga-Rankuwa Cemetery has experienced vandalism, tampering of power poles, theft of electric lines and inadequate security inside the yard.
When Daily Sun visited the area over the weekend, there was a significant gap between the protective fence and other parts of the cemetery.
Some of the asbestos poles that support the barrier were missing, and half of the protective fence had been vandalised.
The cemetery's entrance was left wide open since two steel gates were also stolen, leaving it vulnerable to criminal activities.
The pathways and the grounds surrounding the cemetery are covered in overgrown weeds. Sewage flows on many of the roads in the area.
There is an informal settlement with illegally connected cables running across from non-operational industrial sites, about 2km from the cemetery. There were illegal cables floating on the surface and some dangerous ones crossing the road from the industrial factories to the informal community.
A 46-year-old resident, Ntswaki Kgothleng blamed the residents of the informal settlement and drug addicts for the increase in crime in the area.
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He said the issue has caused suffering to Kgothleng and other residents since 2017.
“In order to prevent future deaths, I'm pleading with Bheki Cele, the minister of police, to dispatch a special unit force to cut out illicit connections. The informal settlers fixed their cables forcibly after the Red Ants arrived five years ago and disconnected the unlawful connections,” said Ntswaki.
“The Metro is not making any effort to accommodate the needs of the people, load shedding and extended power outages are caused by people who do not pay for their electricity.”
A former cemetery security worker, Mpho Bopape, said he resigned in 2022 due to three years of power shortages.
“The cemetery is a hub for crime and the cause of my emotional trauma. I often hear girls begging for assistance while they're being raped, and I would also witness disconnection of water pipes in broad daylight," he said.
The city’s spokesman, Lindela Mashego, said he was well aware of the vandalism at the cemetery.
“The Ga-Rankuwa Cemetery, also known as Kgabalatsane, was secure and in good condition until the construction of a new informal settlement in 2017,” he said.
He said the settlement across the street was under the administration of the Madibeng Municipality.
"In 2018 they were made aware of the theft of a transformer that the cemetery used, as well as damage and theft of the equipment that was connected to it," he said.
Mashego said the pathway leading to the informal settlement was made possible in 2019 by the theft of the cemetery's steel gate and the vandalism of the fence.
“The grass cutting for the graves was set to begin on 1 February 2023 by the city, however, the timeline was postponed because of negotiations with subcontractors. For maintenance, the city has assigned 17 EPWP (expanded public works programme) staff,” said Mashego.
