Pretoria - An angry grave-digging service provider at Lotus Gardens cemetery has been accused of preventing bereaved families from using the facility, due to a dispute over non-payment with the City of Tshwane.
The service provider had allegedly kept the gates locked and told people to bury their loved ones elsewhere.
However, on Friday the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) intervened by leading some community members in a protest to open the cemetery, which is mainly used by the residents of Atteridgeville and Lotus Gardens.
Local Sanco leader Master Maradwa yesterday told the Pretoria News that the service provider had told the community to use cemeteries in Soshanguve, Mamelodi, and Hammanskraal for burials. He said Sanco wouldn’t sit back and watch residents suffer because of a dispute between the service provider and municipality.
“It came to a point where people had to dig their own graves because the service provider was not paid for two months. We decided toopen the entrance on Friday, so that families can bury their loved ones,” he said.
Maradwa said it was unacceptable to force people to bury their loved ones in faraway place, while they have a cemetery nearby.
Ward 7 councillor Mashola Molatelo confirmed that Sanco led a community protest resulting in the opening of the cemetery.
City spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the municipality was aware of the disruption of services at the cemeteries.
He said it was not true that the City had failed to pay the service provider, saying payment was processed late due to their SAP system closure.
“We are aware of the protest …however … on Saturday four burials were registered for Zandfontein and one for Lotus Gardens and no incidents were reported,” Bokaba said.
On Sunday, he said, one burial was recorded for Atteridgeville and no incidents were reported.
“On Monday, five baby graves and six adult graves were dug at Lotus Gardens and one is scheduled for tomorrow at Zandfontein,” Bokaba said.
Bokaba said the service provider has committed to resume his services today.
The EFF in Tshwane expressed dismay at the DA-led coalition government, saying closing down the cemetery due to non-payment of a service provider was its “latest service delivery stunt”.
The party’s regional leader Obakeng Ramabodu said: “The stunt is consistent with its culture of non-payment, which include erratic payment of employees, Eskom, and other important services in the municipality.
“Failure by the DA and its coalition partners has left bereaved families in Atteridgeville, Lotus Gardens, Pretoria West and surrounding areas with an extra burden of not only grieving for the loss of their loved ones, but also the uncertainty that comes with not having a place to bury them,” he said.
Ramabodu said failure to resolve the matter with urgency would leave the EFF “with no option than to mobilise the community to go to Lotus Gardens cemetery and assist families to dig the graves and offer a dignified send-off to their loved ones”.
Pretoria News