The serene grounds of Braamfontein Cemetery, the final resting place for some of Johannesburg’s most prominent figures, were disturbed by a series of incidents over the weekend.
Deliberate vandalism, including the removal and desecration of memorial plaques, has caused concern among families and city officials.
The cemetery’s historical significance, with people such as Enoch Sontonga, renowned for composing the South African national anthem, and Thillaiaadi Valliammai and Samy Nagappan, who were part of Mahatma Gandhi’s passive resistance movement, buried there adds a layer of gravity to the situation.
Plaques removed, urns remain intact
Jenny Moodley, spokesperson for Joburg City Parks, said while plaques were removed from several niches, the urns within remained intact.
“It is believed the suspects were looking for memorabilia of value that is often placed by families inside the niches. The vandals were likely targeting items such as jewellery.”
“City Parks had deployed four full-time, 24-hour security personnel to patrol the facility. The challenge is the cemetery has limited fencing, due to the theft of palisade fencing.”
Cemetery not properly taken care of
Families visiting the cemetery shared their distress. One family member said the vandalism has persisted for two years, exacerbated by neglect.
“The cemetery was not properly taken care of. It’s heartbreaking to think that people are desecrating these graves,” the family member said.
Moodley said lighting had been added to increase visibility in the cemetery.
“We are also working with the Friends of Cemeteries, who led a fundraising drive to restore the vandalised memorial walls. Unfortunately, due to the cemetery reaching full capacity, it’s less frequented, resulting in opportunistic crime.”
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