Outrage over cemetery vandalism

DESTROYED: Ritchie residents have raised concerns about the local cemetery that has fallen prey to vandalism.

Picture: Danie van der Lith RITCHIE residents yesterday reacted with outrage following a recent spate of vandalism at the Ritchie Cemetery.

According to residents, more than 100 tombstones have been damaged, with many of the headstones overturned and broken.

Most of the damage is in the eastern side of the cemetery.

One resident, Olivia Mbusha, said yesterday that she had been shocked to see the damage at the cemetery.

“More than 100 grave sites have been damaged recently but no one seems to know how, when or by whom it was done. It is just shocking that someone would deliberately disrespect the dead like that,” Mbusha said.

The local councillor for the area, Bonsile Makhomba, added that the community had been left “very upset” about the situation at the cemetery.

“Never before have we seen vandalism at the cemetery on this scale. We can’t allow the dead to be disturbed like this. They (the dead) should be respected,” said Makhomba.

He added that large parts of the cemetery’s fence had been removed, leaving it difficult to regulate entry to the area.

Makhomba called on the Sol Plaatje Municipality to appoint security guards at the cemetery.

“Family members already pay thousands of rands to buy a plot and for the construction of the headstone and the erection thereof. Many just don’t have the money to also now fix a broken headstone,” Makhomba said.

He added that plans were under way to have the Sol Plaatje executive mayor, Mangaliso Matika, facilitate a meeting between the community, the police and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) to discuss the situation.

Municipal spokesperson, Sello Matsie, said yesterday that the vandalism of cemeteries was not only restricted to Ritchie Cemetery, but had become a problem at most local cemeteries.

He pointed out that graves remained the property of the person that had bought the plot.

Matsie added that it was difficult to police the issue as most of the incidents of vandalism occurred late at night.