Heartache over grave vandalism
There has been a spike in vandalism at Aberdeen cemetery cemetery, with many memorial headstones pushed over and broken.
This week, close to 30 damaged headstones could be seen, mostly broken across or pushed pus off the mounting. Vases left fo for flowers have been shattered shattered, and kerbstones around the grav graves are knocked over. The st storeroom has been stripp stripped and left as a ruin, and the tap provided for people peo to get water for vases and to clean the headstones has been stolen.the latest damaged graves are mainly relatively recent ones, in the newer section of the cemetery.
Distressed family members have tried to temporarily repair the headstones of their loved ones, by laying out the pieces neatly.
Others, where family members are perhaps no longer in the area, look forlorn.
Two of the many residents who are angry at the wanton destruction are Marie Rademeyer and Hannes Eyssen. Rademeyer’s daughter, Annemarie van Rensburg, was killed in a motorcycle accident in November 2000 at the age of 31.
“She was killed on her father’s birthday,” Rademeyer said tearfully. At the head of Van Rensburg's grave is a raised block, engraved with a smiling photo. Both sides of this have been broken off, much to the distress of her family.
“I don’t know why someone broke this. Don’t they think we have enough heartache?” Rademeyer added plaintively.
The headstone of Eyssen’s parents, Hennie and Issie, has been pushed over, and now splits away from the base.
“This happened in the last two weeks,” he exclaimed with dismay. Eyssen is deeply saddened by the state of the cemetery and has spent a great deal of time and his own money on clearing the area of weeds.
“Why doesn’t the municipality look after the cemetery?
They don’t even water the trees, but have chopped most of them down for firewood,” he said.
“This used to be such a restful place where we could come and visit our families’ graves, but look at it now,” he said, pointing out the row of dead and dying trees. Many visitors to the town are interested in the cemetery, either historically to see the Anglo-boer War memorials, or to see family graves.
The Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality, responsible for the upkeep of the cemetery, failed to comment in time for print.
I don’t know why someone broke this. Don’t they think we have enough heartache?