A fire that recently broke out at Maitland Cemetery has prompted renewed calls for improved safety and security at the site.
The blaze, which occurred at Gate 5 on Friday 23 January, affected a section of the cemetery closest to the railway line, causing damage to wooden grave markers and fencing in the area.
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City’s Fire and Rescue Services, said firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 17:55, after the fire had started along the railway line on the adjacent Prasa land and then spread into the cemetery.
Carelse said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
Carmen McConney, who has family members buried at the cemetery, told People’s Post that it is “disturbing how little respect” some people show for the deceased’s resting place.
“We decided to visit my mother in law’s grave for her birthday in October last year and noticed her cross was gone. Not only hers but the whole row where she was laid to rest. We could see that the grave next to her the cross was cut off with a hand saw.”
McConney said it’s no longer safe to visit cemeteries
“I have never seen any security visible at Maitland Cemetery and the state the cemetery is in is putrid. The grass is always long looks like a jungle you can see no maintenance is being done.
“It’s really not nice visiting your loved one’s and having to focus on cleaning a grave in a rush and also trying to focus on your surrounding because you are afraid u going to be robbed.”
McConney appealed for fencing to be replaced to ensure public safety.
“I do recommend they redo the fencing and start locking the gates at a certain time of the evening and to also have security visible at least by each gate, especially weekends or when people visit their loved ones, particularly on a Sunday when it’s quiet.”
Other residents took to social media to express their concerns.
“Three of my grandparents are buried there. It is so unsafe to visit their graves. Burial grounds are no longer sacred ground,” wrote one resident.
Another resident lamented the safety concerns: “It is totally unsafe to visit this cemetery as there are hordes of plakkers all over the place.”
“What is the Cape Town municipality doing to clean it up, secure it and prevent muggings and fires? These people have no respect for the dead.”
Meanwhile, the Kenfac Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA) said residents’ concerns were valid and urged the “relevant authorities” to take immediate action to ensure safety and security in the area.
Leslie Swartz, KRRA chair, said: “We are also concerned about reports of informal structures emerging in and around the graveyard. If left unaddressed these risks entrenching unsafe conditions, undermining lawful land use and creating long-term social and planning challenges for the surrounding community.”
Swartz called for proper access control and security measures to be implemented, and for any unauthorised development to be halted.
“We further call for transparent communication with residents, a clear management plan and a coordinated response that balances safety, dignity, and compliance with applicable planning and by-law frameworks.”’
Swartz said that their position was not one of exclusion, but of responsible management, public safety, and lawful governance, in the interest of both residents and those using the facility.
Pepe Dass, chair of the South African Cemeteries Association (SACA), said that while vandalism and theft at cemeteries are not unusual, they have become more prevalent in recent years.
SACA aims to be the leading organisation coordinating the development of cemetery and crematoria services in South Africa.
Dass said: “Over the last 20 years we have seen increasing levels of vandalism and the difficulty that municipalities face in preventing this. It’s costly to provide security at cemeteries.”
He acknowledges that municipalities face shrinking budgets, large populations and rapid urbanisation, making it difficult to allocate the proper resources.
“If you look at the revenue that municipalities receive, it is not sufficient to handle of all of its functions.”
Dass encourages communities to take ownership of cemeteries in their areas and to establish safety groups.
“As an association we promote community participation. We encourage communities to be more involved in facilities like cemeteries. Often people laid to rest at the cemetery is from that community, so it makes sense that the community have a stake in that in that facility. We encourage the formation of these safety groups to put some initiative into cemeteries and try to preserve its value.”
The City of Cape Town said it was “looking into the particulars and will respond in due course” when People’s Post asked for comment on the matter.
This article was aired on Cape Talk. Listen: https://omny.fm/shows/mid-morning/your-community-news-fire-at-maitland-cemetery-sparks-urgent-calls-for-security-as-vandalism-and-safety-fears-mount
