Vandalism of graves and stray animals grazing around tombstones could soon be a thing of the past as cemeteries across Nelson Mandela Bay are undergoing upgrades as part of an investment of R40 million.
During a recent oversight visit to Despatch Cemetery, where a R6 million fencing project had just been completed, MMC for public health in the metro, Lance Grootboom, said that the security and development of cemeteries in Nelson Mandela Bay form part of the metro’s commitment to attend to residents’ integrated development plan inputs.
The metro’s security plans include fencing of all cemeteries, following concerns that were raised by residents such as, access control, stray animals, vandalism and criminal activities, among other concerns. The upgrades to 36 cemeteries across the metro are about 80% complete.
NMBM director of cemeteries, Gregory Kops, said that one of the main reasons they are erecting fences is to restore dignity in cemeteries.
“The purpose is to prevent antisocial activities taking place because this is a practice that is quite common. People come and do strange things here such as drugs, drinking alcohol, loitering and vandalising tombstones,” he explained.
“We’ve had occurrences of stray animals coming into the cemeteries by the herds to feed.”
He added that the admin office and wall of remembrance where people would store the ashes of loved ones at Despatch Cemetery and a few others that had been vandalised, will be upgraded and each will receive its own fence.
Kops mentioned that they will also be establishing berm sections, which will result in better grave alignment and more efficient use of space.
Security officials will also be placed at the cemeteries and road infrastructure will be upgraded.
Public health executive director, Sizwe Mvunelwa, said that the upgraded security would assist the metro in enforcing its by-laws.
“We really want to be a caring municipality but we cannot do this on our own. We need the communities to look after their own facilities.
The R40 million is a lot of investment and we want communities out there to look after these investments.
“It is not by mistake that we are investing this much. We want the community to know that we are a caring municipality,” he said.
Grootboom said that currently, development and refurbishment at Gqeberha Cemetery is 85% complete and they are confident the project will be complete before the end of June.
Next in line are security upgrades at the Bucwa Cemetery in KwaNobuhle and Korsten, Govan Mbeki and Colchester cemeteries, where land issues are being addressed for that community.
“Construction has started to fence off the guard house to safeguard against any possible criminal activities in the future. Other security plans include security cameras and security guards, who will now be placed at these facilities to make sure that our loved ones continue to rest in peace and dignity,” Grootboom said.
He added that the directorate had also identified land for potential cemeteries in Colchester, Motherwell and the Baywest area, since the many COVID-related burials had taken up a lot of the metro’s burial space.
“This is to ensure that the metro doesn’t run out of space again. We are busy doing an environmental assessment on that land and then we’ll buy and use it for additional burial space,” he explained.
