Residents of the Moqhaka Local Municipality have voiced growing concern over the worsening condition of local cemeteries, describing the situation as both upsetting and unacceptable.
Following heavy rainfall, access to gravesites has become increasingly difficult, with overgrown grass and dense vegetation in some areas reaching waist height. This leaves families struggling to visit the graves of their loved ones.
The neglect of the various premises has raised broader questions about the municipality’s commitment to maintaining spaces regarded as sacred by the community.
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Many residents say the current state of the cemeteries undermines the dignity families expect when paying their respects, and they are calling for urgent and sustained intervention to address the issue.
The party previously called for a coordinated clean-up campaign, arguing that such measures would restore accessibility and dignity to the cemeteries. At a recent council meeting, municipal officials signalled a shift towards more proactive maintenance by committing to a clean-up campaign. The move has been cautiously welcomed by community members, who say it offers a measure of hope after months of a lack of action.
The DA in Moqhaka has indicated that it will closely monitor the implementation of the recently promised clean-up campaign, while urging the immediate deployment and effective supervision of workers employed by the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the Community Work Programme (CWP).
Cllr Chris Dalton, DA mayoral candidate in Moqhaka, said the party had emphasised the importance of ensuring that any intervention delivers lasting results, rather than short-term improvements. He added that there must be proper oversight of workers involved in the clean-up effort to ensure that public resources were used effectively.
