Cape Town - The Rylands Gatesville Civic Association says the City's failure to contain a group of homeless people outside the Vygieskraal cemetery in Rylands has further deteriorated the grave site.
The association said lack of visibility from law enforcement and police has resulted in the ongoing and increased theft, vandalisation and illegal occupation as was experienced initially.
Rylands Gatesville Civic Association executive member Salima Modack said despite assurances received in January from the Mayor and City representatives in response to the public outcry about the effects of derelict property adjacent to the cemetery, none had come to pass.
She said the situation at the cemetery has deteriorated further. She said illegal- dwellers now occupied the inside of the cemetery because the situation on the outside was not properly managed.
“Over 50 follow-up emails sent to the local councillor have been ignored. Vandalism, theft and illegal occupation continues as a result of the derelict state of City-owned land adjacent to the cemetery. The issue is further compounded by the lack of effective visible policing and proper law enforcement. Burial space is a challenge especially during a global pandemic.
“Inefficiencies and ineffective management by the City further exacerbates this matter. We call on the City to clean-up their act. Burial grounds are resting places for the deceased, not grounds for infringements of our basic human rights and freedom to bury our dearly departed. We've experienced a week-long sewerage flood which recurs in addition to the cemetery and a host of issues plaguing the area,” said Modack.
Modack said the cemetery board was being threatened by the “illegal-dwellers” seeking to take over the cemetery.
Rylands resident Parveen Carnie said it was sad and disappointing to see no empathy and concern for those that had passed on.
Johnston Road Cemetery chairperson Abdullah Salie said currently there was no sustainable solution to compact the occupation, however he said it was either the board increased security or worked closely with the neighbourhood watch.
“The period in which this has been going on and the lack of solution is upsetting the families which buried their loved ones in the cemetery and you can't blame them for getting angry. We are now worried of a looming confrontation that is going to happen between the people that are living there and the families,” said Salie.
Rylands ward councillor Mogamat Cassiem said the City conducted daily clean ups in the area and when it could, “removed” vagrants but they would return later.
“Vagrancy is a challenge because they cannot be removed due to a legal ruling.The ruling is that vagrants cannot be removed,” said Cassiem.
He was referring to a September 2019 Western Cape High Court ruling which prohibits the City from fining and confiscating property belonging to people living on the streets.