The Old Cemetery between Vukani and Newtown in Grahamstown used to be in good condition and was properly fenced in. That was back in 1950 when Msambothi Ngangamsha (71), arrived in Grahamstown.
The Old Cemetery between Vukani and Newtown in Grahamstown used to be in good condition and was properly fenced in. That was back in 1950 when Msambothi Ngangamsha (71), arrived in Grahamstown.
Today the cemetry is a dumping site, untethered livestock are allowed to graze freely and people walk to and fro between Newtown and Vukani, disregarding the dead that lie buried there. Tombstones lie face down and only a few still remain intact while some graves have been totally desecrated.
According to Ngangamsha (who lives Newtown) people stole the fence and that’s when the state of the cemetery sarted deteriorating. "We have been complaining to the municipality to restore the fence since 1999 and it is only now that they are responding."
However, Ngangamsha doesn’t rule out the possibility that even if the municipality put up fencing again, people might steal it again.
Makana Municipality has embarked on a project to fence all the cemeteries in Grahamstown. On Tuesday, workers at the Old Cemetery were busy completing the process of fencing it in.
"We will probably complete the fencing at the end of the week then paint the fence before going on to fence the Albany Road Cemetery," said Sandile Marthinus (25), a fencing worker.
The workers have also been erected fencing at Kwathatha Cemetry in Joza and will then move to the cemetery in Albany Road, locally known as Lavender Village, where they will erect steel palisade fencing.
While learners were passing through the cemetery on their way back from school at lunchtime a tired Mcedisi Kulati (61) of Vukani, who was on his way back from town, sat on the grass at the cemetery to rest."I’m tired, that is why I’m sitting down," he said.
According to Kulati the people of Vukani do not have transport which is why they have to pass through cemetery land on their way to town and school.
The spokesperson of the municipality, Thandy Matebese, said that the municipality will only fence and clean the cemetery but will not restore the graves that have been destroyed.
"It is the responsibility of the individual families to erect the tombstones and mark their graves." he said. According to Matebese the municipality’s budget is not enough to put up palisade fencing at all the cemeteries. Albany Cemetery had previously been proovided with palisade fencing o he says they are just replacing it.
On the issue of possible theft at the Old Cemetery Matebese said that people had asked for fencing so the municipality expected them to look after it themselves because the cemetery is a place of rest for their ancestors.
