- The Magwaca family from Langa discovered their mother’s gravestone was stolen from Maitland cemetery, leaving them shocked and seeking increased security measures.
- The family believes the theft was orchestrated by a syndicate involved in the tombstone business, with similar incidents reported at other graves in the cemetery.
- The City of Cape Town acknowledged the issue, citing budget constraints and is exploring alternatives like concrete walls and fencing repairs.
The Magwaca family from Langa is still in shock after they found their mother’s gravestone stolen at Maitland cemetery. The family urged the City of Cape Town to beef up the security in the cemetery to prevent more damage.
Alfred Magwaca says he is still shocked by what he saw when he visited his mother’s grave last week. “On Thursday 12 September, I visited my mother’s grave after not visiting her grave for a long time. I was so shocked when I saw it. The gravestone was removed,” says Magwaca, adding that they did not only steal the tombstone but they also vandalised the grave. He adds that he is still trying to ascertain the motive.
Magwaca claims that the perpetrators are not ordinary criminals but people who are in the tombstone business.
“I don’t think the tombstone was stolen by amaphara (criminals). People who are doing this are a syndicate. People who are in this business. When I asked the homeless, who are staying at the cemetery, they said there are people who come at night to steal.
Magwaca adds that there are other graves with similar problems in the cemetery.
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The disheartened Magwaca says the family spent over R10 000 on installing the tombstone.
However, he states that he didn’t open the case nor report the matter to the City.
The City’s Mayco member for community services and health, Patrica van der Ross, says several cemeteries in the City, including Maitland, have unfortunately been targeted by criminal activities.
She says fencing of various kinds has been stolen at many cemeteries, including Pinelands, Ottery, Muizenberg, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha.
“To address these challenges, the City is exploring more sustainable alternatives such as erecting concrete walls along the back boundary of Gugulethu Cemetery. There have also been isolated incidents of theft involving memorial work and flowers,” she said.
Van der Ross says the City is prioritising fencing repairs at Maitland cemetery amid budgetary constraints.
She says to mitigate theft the City is painting the panels to make them more visible to road users and easier to identify if stolen.
“There are security guards stationed at most City cemeteries.
“However, as cemeteries are classified as open spaces and must remain accessible to the public, the size of these facilities makes it challenging and cost-prohibitive to provide full-time on-site security coverage across all areas,” says van der Ross.
