Thieves raid cemetery and steal tombstones
Families hard hit by theft of costly monuments
The Ekurhuleni cemetery haunted by nyaope users who steal ashes of cremated departed, is now under siege from criminals who loot gravestones.
Earlier this month, Sowetan revealed how drug addicts raided boxes keeping cremated remains at Mooifontein Cemetery lying between Kempton Park and Tembisa to indulge their addiction by smoking the ashes.
Now tombstones worth thousands of rands are being stolen. Several families in Tembisa are in a state of shock after realising that tombstones marking the graves of their loved ones have vanished without trace.
Vivian Mokobane, 70, was traumatised after the tombstone she erected for her late mother disappeared.
“I worked very hard to save money to buy my mother that tombstone. It was so beautifully made of marble and it had two flower pots at the bottom where I could put fresh flowers.
“I cleaned it regularly and it was always shining,” she said.
Mokobane said she visited the grave in December and found the flower pots gone.
“I went back to the manufacturer and asked them to make new pots for me. I went back in March and found that the whole tombstone was gone.
“I almost fainted. I could not believe it. It feels like they exhumed her body,” she said.
Mokobane said she had paid R 9 000 for the tombstone.
“I was working at the time and I sacrificed a lot to buy it before I retired. How am I going to pay for another tombstone. It probably costs R 30 000 now. I am devastated. My mother’s grave is very important to me. I come here when I miss her, when I want to talk to her.”
Rufus Mamabolo, 59, said his family erected a tombstone for his father in November and they had intended to unveil it in April.
The headstone had vanished when they visited ahead of its unveiling ceremony.
“We bought the tombstone for R 17 000 and now the manufacturer has charged us R22 000 (to replace it) and they want it in cash,” he said.
“We do not know if they’ll come back and take it again. I’d feel better if I found it broken, not stolen. The head was properly removed and it is clear they do it during the day as there are no lights here [at night].”
Mamabolo said the Ekurhuleni municipality should reimburse his family for their loss.
When he complained to the municipality he was referred to the police.
Norkem Park police have confirmed they were investigating five cases of stolen tombstones in the area.
Police spokesman Captain Lesibana Molokomme said they were concerned by the spike in graveyard crimes.
“Police arrested three suspects on March 14. They were carrying used tombstone blocks. Complainants were called to check the blocks and one of them identified one as stolen from their relative’s grave,” he said.
Molokomme said the men, who were caught by cemetery guards, were arrested and charged with theft and malicious damage to property.
Council spokesman Themba Gadebe said stricter measures were being put in place.
He confirmed the recent arrests, and that there were four security guards at both gates of the graveyard and one patrolling with a dog.