Village burial site turned into dump site ‘without consultation’
Headman disrespected us, say residents
Residents of a Limpopo village are angry after the graves of their loved ones were flattened when a local graveyard was turned into a dumping site.
The community of GaMaphalle accused their headman Phetole Modika of approving the landfill site without consulting them.
A fence had since been erected around the piece of land, preventing the families from visiting their loved ones’ final resting places.
When Sowetan visited the site this week, some of the graves had been flattened and others remained isolated behind the new fence.
Resident and traditional healer Albert Machipi, 60, said he had been unable to visit the graves of his relatives to perform rituals since July last year when the fence was raised.
Machipi’s ancestral graves on the site are of his grandmother Nthapeni Moyaba who died in 1927, his uncle Ramokgopa Moyaba who died in 1965, Mmasekedi Machipi, who was the daughter of Nthapeni, who died in 1947.
“I performed rituals on my grandmother’s grave before I became a traditional healer. And now I can’t because the grave has been desecrated,” he said.
He said his feet had started aching because the spirits of his ancestors were no longer settled as a result of the desecration.”
Machipi’s brother, Gilbert Machipi said: “Modika must come and apologise and we will take things from there.”
Another community member Vicks Mashatole said the graves of his younger sister, Mmadjadji Mashatole, and his niece Kgaugelo were flattened or fenced out.
He said it was unfair for Modika to authorise the landfill site without consulting
Graves with clear burial dates Other graves with no exact burial dates:
Thoboki Malebogo was ● buried in 1963; Mmakatloga Malatji was ● buried in 1965; Nthapeni Moyaba was ● buried in 1927; Ramokgopa Moyaba was ● buried in 1965; Mmasekedi Machipi was ● buried in 1947; Mmanonyana Mabetha ● buried in 1949 Mokgadi Maserofo Mabetha ● buried in 1986; Mogale Frans Mabetha ● buried in 1981; Moloiwa Ben Machipi; ● Moyahabo Mashatole; ● Kgaugelo Mashatole; ● Mmadjadji Mashatole and; ● Rammalana Mashatole. ● them. Mashatole said: “We have buried our relatives in those graves and have the right to pay them visits to conduct rituals.
“As an African, we expected Modika to approach us to inform us of the intention to give out that piece of land so that we can enter into an agreement with the municipality.”
Mashatole was supported by 42-year-old Steve Malatji, whose grandmothers Thoboki Malebogo and Mmakatloga Malatji, were also buried on the site.
Malebogo was buried in 1963 and Malatji in 1965.
“The decision taken to violate our ancestral graves is a clear indication that our traditional leader is disrespectful,” he said.
Eugene Rampyapedi, who identified himself as the secretary of the council, blocked Sowetan’s attempt to speak to headman Modika.
“You cannot speak to the headman without an appointment,” he said.
When Modika was phoned he said: “I don’t know you and you are becoming a nuisance. Don’t call me again.”
Greater Letaba municipality spokesman Lovers Maenetja said: “We are prepared to come to a mutual agreement with families to tell us what to do with their grave site.” She said the contractor had told them they did not see the graves.
Avhashoni Magada, spokesman for the provincial department of rural development and land reform, did not offer a way forward on the matter. He said proper consultations with affected families should have been made.