Joseph Chirume
People visit the graves of their elders to ask for guidance, and to seek comfort, peace and protection from evil spirits.
That’s why graveyards are supposed to be located close to communities so people can visit easily.
But for residents in Colchester, north of Gqebhera, this isn’t possible as the local graveyard has no more space.
Residents are being separated from their deceased relatives after the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality ordered them to bury instead in Motherwell – 30 kilometres away.
Esther Jantjies, who recently buried her cousin at the Motherwell cemetery, told Scrolla.Africa they have raised the issue about their graveyard on several occasions.
“Grieving families have to pay a lot of money to travel to the Motherwell cemetery because the local one is full to capacity and the municipality has done nothing about it,” she said.
The graveyard is located behind houses and shares a perimeter boundary with the Addo National Park.
A resident said the dead are angry.
He said: “How can we progress when our dead are lying packed in like sardines? The municipality should buy land from the Addo Elephant Park to extend our graveyard.”
Municipality spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said the Colchester graveyard was previously privately owned. “The area is not completely full, but space for graves is running out,” said Ndamase.
“It was agreed with residents that as an alternative, they must use the Motherwell cemetery while the City is engaged in talks with the residents and community leaders to find alternative land.”
