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People’s Post
Sections of the Ottery Cemetery has been vandalised.
OTTERY
Thugs hound the dead
SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS SAMANTHA.LEE@PEOPLESPOST.CO.ZA @SAMANTHA_LEE121
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our final resting place is usually described as a peaceful “eternal sleep”, but that peace has been disturbed for hundreds buried at Ottery cemetery. Criminals have vandalised the fencing and damaged some grave sites at the cemetery recently. “I visited the Ottery cemetery (and) I am deeply disappointed at the theft and deliberate vandalism of the palisade fencing around the cemetery as well as some tombstones,” says Mayco member for community services and health Zahid Badroodien. “I was saddened to see how criminals have no regard for those resting in peace at our cemetery facilities in Cape Town. Since the Covid-19 lockdown, there’s been a spike
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in vandalism cases of the City’s community services facilities.” Kenneth January from Athlone says his grandmother’s grave was vandalised last year. “My grandmother died before I was born and my family had a tradition that we would visit there every year on her birthday and lay flowers,” he says. January says he knows of many other plots that are vandalised, not only at Ottery cemetery but at Klip Road and Maitland cemeteries as well. “The graveyards used to be a place of peace for the passed loved ones. It was neat. These days, broken rocks, damaged roads and walkways are seen all over the place. Not only at Ottery but basically at all the cemeteries,” he says. “People spend money on having graves look beautiful with ornate headstones, flowers and marble tops, only for it to be ruined by criminals.”
Badroodien says tombstones and crosses are the responsibility of the families. “The Cemeteries by-law indicates that memorial work, such as tombstones, is the responsibility of the families. The department can only advise that, based on observations, theft of memorial work is perpetuated by a demand,” he says. “Incidents of stolen fencing occur frequently, however, incidents of memorial work being vandalised are brought to our attention when reported as the City does not keep records of all memorial items placed on individual graves.” The fencing has been vandalised and stolen over time. Incidents have been reported to the local police station on numerous occasions but the theft continues unabated, says Badroodien. “To date, approximately 120m of fencing has been stolen (the total fence length is roughly 775m), located on the far northern
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edge of the cemetery which is the most isolated section,” he says. Cemeteries are not the only facilities to suffer as libraries, parks and play equipment have all been vandalised during the lockdown. “We once again request communities to work with the City and look after community facilities and report any damage to property or buildings at City parks and cemeteries,” says Badroodien. “We will continue to drive an innovative approach to our security solutions. These efforts, however, are meaningless without the crucial role the residents can play in our fight against criminal elements. We need communities to work with us by calling the police and law enforcement authorities when they see suspicious activities.” He adds the City is also open to suggestions to help protect facilities and bring vandals to book.
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